


Psychotic Ex-Boyfriend (Jerome Velaska/Reader)

by churros_liz



Series: Jerome Velaska [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Gotham (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Psychotic Boyfriend, a bit of smut, don't know yet, m/m - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2019-10-26 01:01:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 41
Words: 77,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17736029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/churros_liz/pseuds/churros_liz
Summary: You thought you knew everything about Jerome Velaska. He was your best friend. He was your boyfriend. You loved him. But seeing him transition to the insane, psychotic villain, you knew that he was not the Jerome you grew up loving. He changed and got arrested and you moved on. So why does a part of you still miss him? Why does a part of you still love him? And how will you react to seeing him again?





	1. Prologue

_You were alone and cold in that dark cage. That was until you began to hear the hissing of snakes. Your eyes widen at sight of the reptiles. You wanted to scream and cry for help, but you couldn’t. You were frozen in fear. The only thing going through your mind was wanting to see your parents again._

 

_You stared at the people standing in front of you. They were whispering to each other and kept staring at the snake you were petting. A woman dressed in snake designed clothing walked up to you. “What is your name, child?”_

_“(y/n)”. You responded. “Is this your snake?”_

_“And where are your parents?” She ignored your question._

_“Gone. They died”. You stared back at the snake. “Uncle is gone too”._

_She stared back at her crew members, then back at you. She noticed how calm you were with the snakes. It was almost as if you knew what the snake wanted as if the two of you were one. “Do you like snakes?”_

_You looked at her and nodded. She smiled and stroked the slithering reptile. “She’s beautiful, isn’t she? Have you ever seen them dance?”_

_You shook your head. She stood up and lend out her hand. You stared at it then back at her. Hesitantly, you took her hand._

 

_“(y/n)! Hurry up!” Lilia called out. You stared at the ginger boy. He held out some chocolate candy out to you._

_“Meet me here after the show”. You smiled. “I’ll show you my secret then”._

 

_“J!” You called out, running up to the ginger boy. He turned to you. This would be the first time you would be officially part of his mother’s act and you were excited to show him your outfit. “What do you think?”_

_Your outfit is a simple green snake designed leotard with black tights and flats. Your hair was tied into low pigtails that laid on your shoulders. Mary Grayson was standing behind you, feeling proud that she had helped you with your makeup. Jerome stared at you. He gave you a small smile. “You look good”._

_“Really?!” Your smile grew. “I thought it was a bit revealing in the chest area, but I’m glad you like it”._

_He didn’t even notice that your chest area was standing out quite a bit. He glanced around and noticed some of the male circus workers and boys walking by staring at you. A part of him wanted to cover you up and threaten to kill them for even giving you a small glance but looking at how happy you are, he couldn’t do it. Instead, he made a mental note to talk to his mother about it and add some changes to your costume later. She sure has become beautiful. He thought. Wait, since when did I begin to look at (y/n) like that?_

 

 _You stared at the mirror in front of you. Your reflection mimicked every dance move you made. The music filled your ears and you put all of your attention to it. Lilia’s snake, Shiba, watched you dance. She hissed and reverted back to her cage when she sensed people coming. You stopped dancing and turned around. A group of girls walked up to you. You could tell that they were from the town that the circus is currently in._

_“I’m sorry for bothering you”. One of them said. “It’s just that we saw you talking to that handsome red-headed boy over there”._

_You glanced at where she pointed, spotting Jerome helping set up for the show. A feeling of jealousy dropped to your stomach. You turned back to the girls. “Yeah, he’s my boyfriend”._

_Their eyes widen at your statement. It wasn’t true, but you hated whenever girls would walk up to you just so they can get close to Jerome. Your Jerome. You know treating him like an object is wrong, but he’s your best friend. You told each other everything. Even the girls in the circus know that you have a crush on him and don’t bother trying to go after him. Plus these girls only like him for his looks, they don’t even know him like you._

_They looked at each other with disappointed looks. They left you alone after they noticed Jerome walking up to you. He stole a glance at them before turning to you. “What did they want?”_

_“Oh nothing, they were just wondering how long we were staying”. You shrugged. “Apparently they’re too busy to see the show. Don’t worry about it”._

_He nodded and shrugged it off. You stared at him as he grabbed Shiba’s cage. You followed him as he walked, feeling a bit guilty about what you did. I mean, it’s not like Jerome feels the same way about me, so what’s the point of me doing that? You thought._

 

_“I like you”.Your eyes widen at the words that escaped Jerome’s mouth. He had come to your trailer to have a break from his mother. The two of you were talking and one thing leads to another and next thing you knew he kissed you. “I like you, (y/n)”._

_“Jerome…” You felt tears forming. “I like you too. Hell, I might even love you!”_

_He chuckled at your reaction and caressed your face, wiping the tears from your eyes. He leaned down and placed a kiss on your lips. You kissed him back, causing him to smile. He pulled back and you couldn’t contain your excitement and tackled him into a hug. This must have been the best day of your life._

_Jerome Velaska, the son of your teacher. The boy that you knew since you entered the circus. He was your first friend. He’s your best friend. And now he’s your lover. You know everything about him._

 

_Or do you?_


	2. The Morning Of

The sound of the circus music played as everyone talked around the campfire. The circus was on its way to Gotham City and was taking a rest stop for the night. You pulled Jerome to dance. He’s not much of a dancer but he can’t say no to you. You giggled as Jerome spun you around. The night was simple and relaxing. 

Eventually, Jerome and you made your way back to your trailer to have some alone time. He kissed you just as you closed the door. You smiled and pushed him off. “Easy there tiger, let’s eat first”.

“Oh but then I’ll be too tired to continue”. He tried to kiss you again, but you dodged him. You went over to your fridge and grabbed a small cake. Turning to him, you smirked. “It’s our two-year anniversary. Let’s celebrate with food then move on to the bed”.

He let out a chuckle. Jerome kissed your forehead and wrapped his arms around you. You smiled and pecked his lips. Just as the two of you were getting comfortable, the door opened. Lilia walked in, a bottle of alcohol in one of her hands. “Oh, good you’re still up”.

She noticed the cake and how the two of you were still in each other’s arms. “What’s going on here?”

Jerome rolled his eyes. You noticed how he was already getting annoyed with Lilia. You unwrapped yourself from Jerome’s hands and stood in front of him. “Jerome and I are celebrating our two-year anniversary”.

“Oh, you’re still dating?” She made herself at home by cutting a piece of the cake for herself. “I thought you would move on by now”.

“Mom” Jerome glared. His tone of voice changed and became deeper with all of his anger. 

“What?” She stared at him, then at you. “I mean, (y/n), we’re snake dancers. We work in the art of seduction. There’s no need for you to stay tied down to one man all your life”.

Before Jerome could even open his mouth, you stepped in. “Thank you for your advice, Lilia, but Jerome and I are very happy with each other. I love your son with all of my heart. And I’m sure he loves me too”.

“I do”. He stood next to you and held your hand. You smiled at him. 

“Yes, well then I’m glad the two of you found each other”. Lilia took a sip of her alcohol. You noticed the look in her eye. She seemed happy but mainly lonesome. Maybe she actually wanted to love her like the way you love Jerome. You felt bad for her. “Anyway, I came here because I wanted to tell you something, (y/n)”.

“What is it?” You let go of Jerome’s hand and put your hands in your pocket. 

“I think it’s time for your first solo”. A smile grew on your face. “I got everything prepared for you. Your outfit is done and Haly said that you could perform when we reach Gotham”.

“Really! My god, thank you!” You gave her a hug. “Wait, but what about you?”

“Oh, please”. She waved her hand. “I’m getting quite old now and look at you! You’ve grown to become a beautiful woman. Your chemistry with Shiba is amazing. Your routines are flawless and even without them, you’re one amazing dancer. But most of all, that wonderful gaze of yours is both seductive and dangerous to men and women”.

She caressed your face. “Of course I think we’re going to have to lose the pigtails and let your hair loose”.

You couldn’t help but giggle. You hugged her one more time. “Thank you”. 

“Anytime”. She made her way out. “I can’t wait to see you steal the audience’s breath with your skills”.

She closed the door and you turned to Jerome. You tackled him into a hug. “I can’t believe it! I’m finally going on there by myself!”

“I’m so proud of you”. Jerome kissed your forehead. “I know you’ll be great”.

 

The morning the circus reached Gotham, you went and knocked on the Velaska’s trailer. Lilia opened it, smiling at the sight of you. “Are you excited for tonight?”

“I can’t wait”. You giggled. Jerome appeared and you turned to him. “Ready to go to the library?”

“Yeah...” He scratched the back of his neck. “You go on ahead, I still need to get ready”.

He was in a white tank top and pajama pants. His red hair was a mess and you could tell that he just woke up. You chuckled at the sight. “Alright then, but don’t be surprised if I didn’t save you a seat next to mine”.

“I doubt it”. He grinned and went to get himself ready. “You’re too socially awkward to let a stranger sit next to you”.

“Eh”. You shrugged. “True”.

Lilia looked at the two of you, confused about what you were talking about. “Why the hell are you going to the library so early in the morning?”

“An author that Jerome and I love is having a book signing along with a speech”. You explained. “We’re planning to get there early”.

“I see”. She nodded. “Have fun”.

“Oh, we will, if only Jerome wouldn’t leave his poor girlfriend out in the cold by herself!” You called out to him.

“I thought I told you to go ahead!” You heard him yell. You chuckled again. 

“See ya, Lilia”. You smiled and made your way to town. Lilia waved and closed the door

You felt excited about the day. You were going to see one of your favorite authors with your boyfriend. Afterward, the two of you would get to go on a proper date to celebrate your anniversary. The two of you haven’t had a proper date in so long, so it felt nice to go out into town. Plus, tonight you will be performing alone in front of a huge crowd. You felt that today is going to be a good day.


	3. Show Time

“Well, what do you think?” You walked out of Jerome’s trailer bathroom and showed him your outfit. It was a snake designed bikini with black thigh-high tights and a buckle that is attached to the tights and the shorts. You wore black flats along with a golden necklace. On the necklace, there was a golden snake that reached your breasts. Golden snakes were a big part of your outfit design, so it was natural to have them everywhere. You even had a golden snake accessory wrapped all around your waist and a small golden snake armband on your left arm. To finish your outfit, you wore a crown that matched your outfit with two snakes on it. 

“Honesty, I don’t think you should go out there dressed like that”. Jerome smirked. “I’ll have to punch the daylights out of everyone for staring at you if you do”.

“Oh yeah?” A playful smirk formed on your lips. “And why’s that?”

“Well, that outfit seems to be more for my eyes only”. Jerome pulled you closer to him. He was sitting down on his bed as you stroked his hair. “You look so god damn sexy in that”.

“Really?” You noticed the lust in his eyes. You felt tingles as Jerome stroked your sides. You bit your lip and glanced over at the clock. “You know, I got some time before my act. Maybe we could have just a bit of fun before I go on”.

You sat down on his lap and placed a passionate kiss on his lips. He smirked into the kiss. Pulling away, he played with the hatch of your bikini top. “I love the way you think”. 

He began to kiss your neck, taking off your necklace. You took off your crown and pulled on his shirt. He went back up to kiss your lips. The sound of the circus starting reached the trailer but the both you paid no attention to it. You were lost in your own little world. You were simply enjoying a beautiful moment with your beloved.

 

You snuggled close to your boyfriend’s chest. He wrapped his arms around you and kissed your forehead. The two of you just finished your quick activity, and boy did you want nothing more but to remain in Jerome’s arms. But the sudden noise of the circus grabbed both of your attention. You glanced over at the clock, noticing that your act is up soon. “Shoot”.

You got up and quickly picked up your clothes. Jerome smiled and stared at you as you rushed to get ready. “Where’s your mom, J? She promised to be here for my first solo performance?”

“I don’t know”. He shrugged. “She’s probably fucking some man from a bar in town”.

You sighed and turned to him. You’ve been with Jerome and the circus since you were ten, so you know how his mom treats him. You knew how much he hated her. You always welcomed him in your trailer whenever he needs a break from her and her lovers. It’s only been two years since the two of you started dating, but Lilia couldn’t have a stable relationship for the life of her.

You were about to say something to comfort him, but the sound of police sirens took your attention away from him. The two of you shared a glance.

“It was just a fight between the Graysons and the Lloyds”. You said as you entered Jerome’s trailer. After hearing the sirens, you went over to check the commotion. When the police arrived and were bandaging up the two families, you went over to your friend Mary Lloyd. She was talking to the doctor about the fight, John Grayson cut her off a bit and the two started their regular argument. You had only came back after talking to her for a bit, “They mentioned your mom”

“Really?” Jerome looked up at you. “I wonder what she did now”.

Then there was a knock. Jerome stared at you, grabbing your hand before you could open it. You stared at him. He opened the door and went outside. You watched through the window. Jerome was talking to a detective and Haly, you noticed the doctor from earlier was with them as well. You noticed how Jerome looked confused and worried. A small smile formed on your lips. You knew Jerome couldn’t fully hate his mother, and seeing him worry about her warmed your heart.

“Let her out”. You heard the detective say.

“I’m sorry?” _Did he just say to let Shiba out?_ You thought.

“Let her out”. He said again. Before Jerome could open the cage, you opened the door to the trailer and went outside. They turned to you. “I’m sorry but if anyone is going to handle Shiba, that will be me”. You said as you made your way to the snake’s cage.

“And who are you?” The detective asked.

“I’m (y/n), Lilia’s apprentice and Jerome’s girlfriend”. You glanced at the man. Jerome looked at you, a small smile forming on his lips. You turned your attention back to the snake. “Hey girl” You cooed. “Wanna go find mommy? Let’s go find her, shall we?”

You opened the cage and let your hand in so Shiba could use you as a ledge. The snake slithered into your arms, rubbed her head on your cheek as a sign of compassion. Once Shiba was fully out, you knelt down and placed her on the ground. “Go find mommy, Shiba”.

Shiba began to follow her owner’s scent. You walked beside her, while the rest followed close behind. The moment Shiba slithered her way onto the back of a truck filled with hay, you stopped. Jerome stood next to you and took your hand. The detective removed the tarp that was there and revealed Lilia’s bloody corpse with Shiba slithering around. Jerome fell to his knees crying. You gasped and turned to your boyfriend. You hugged him as you began crying yourself.

 

Jerome and you walked out of the precinct. The detective from earlier - who you now know as Jim Gordon - had interviewed you both and sent you both away for the day. You had your arm wrapped around your boyfriend. Jerome’s words replayed in your head. They confused you. You stopped walking, grabbing his attention.

“Why did you lie, Jerome?” You asked. “You said that Lilia was perfect, but you hated her. And her sex life does bother you. I only didn’t say anything because everything just seems so surreal”.

“Seeing her dead..” Jerome took your arm that was wrapped around his and held your hand. “it made me realize something. If she really hated me, she would have just killed me. But she kept me alive for seventeen years. A part of her loved me, and I guess a part of me loved her too. I just didn’t realize it until now”.

He began to cry again. You wrapped your arms around him and held him close. After a minute or so, he let go of the hug. “I don’t know what I would do without you (y/n). Thank you for always being by my side”.

“Anything for you J”. You placed a light kiss on his lips. He smiled at you. “But I guess this means that you’ll be at my trailer full time now, huh?”

“I guess so too”. He wrapped an arm around your shoulder.

That night, the two of you decided to stay in a motel room until the case of Jerome’s mother was closed. Throughout the entire night, Jerome didn’t want to leave your side. His head was on your chest as you stroked his hair. The tv was on, and every now and then you would chuckle when there was a joke. Jerome looked up at you. "What do you think about leaving the circus and staying here?"

"You want to stay here? In Gotham? What happened to earlier, about sharing a trailer together?" You looked at him. He sat up, taking your hands in his.

"I know but we can go get jobs, get an apartment, and I know that you want to go to college -" You put your hands on his cheeks, stopping him from talking any further. You let out a laugh.

"As long as I am with you, Jerome, then I'm happy". You said. "In the circus, at another city or state, I would stay with you anywhere and anytime. I love you, Jerome Velaska".

You let go of his cheeks and wrapped your arms around his neck. He smiled. "I love you too".

He kissed you. At first, it was gentle but then the small kiss turned into a full out make-out session. He pulled you to sit on his lap and began to kiss you on your neck. He went back to kiss you on your lips. That night was full of gentle and passionate kisses.


	4. Truth

A few days passed and both Jerome and you were dealing with moving into Gotham. With the money that both of you saved over the years, you were able to buy a small apartment. You were walking through the streets, trying to find a job. As you walked, you accidentally bumped into some girl. She looked a few years younger than you and was wearing black leather clothing. "Watch it, would ya?" She said.

"I'm so sorry". You said as she walked right past you. You looked back down at the newspaper that you were holding and continued your job hunting.

 

It took hours, but you eventually found a place that hired you. You walked into the apartment only to see Jerome getting ready to leave. "Where are you going?"

"The GCPD just called, I think they finally caught the man who murdered my mother". He put on his coat.

"That's great! I'll come with". You smiled. By the look of his face, you knew that he didn't want to bring you but he knew better to not to argue with you. So the two of you made your way to the GCPD.

 

"Wait here". He said as an officer lead him to one of the investigation rooms. You pulled him into one more kiss before letting him go. "Good luck".

As you waited, you noticed an older man staring at you. His black hair was slicked back and was wearing glasses and a lab coat. Noticing that he was still staring at you, you sighed and walked over to him. Just by his stare from earlier, you knew that he's the oddball in the precinct. "May I help you, mister ?"

"Nygma. Edward Nygma". He smiled. "And you must be (y/n) (l/n), the snake dancer's apprentice and that ginger boy's girlfriend, correct?"

"Uh, yeah". You were kinda creeped out by him, but the circus was filled with a lot of oddballs like him so he didn't bother you so much. "Why were staring at me?"

"I can sizzle like bacon, I am made with an egg, I have plenty of backbone but lack a good leg I peel layers like onions, but still remain whole. I can be long, like a flagpole, yet fit in a hole. What am I?" He grinned.

"A snake". You raised a brow. You have no idea where this conversation is going.

"You see, I'm curious". He began. "You're a snake dancer, but you're not really dancing with a snake more like you're charming it. So shouldn't you be called a snake charmer?"

"You haven't seen a snake dance before, huh?" You smirked. "Like a snake, one must be graceful, innocent but deadly, but most of all one must be mysterious. The snake is your partner, so you also have to earn its trust otherwise you're dead meat".

Before Edward could respond, you heard Jim Gordon call your name. You turned to the detective as him and doctor Leslie Thompkins walked toward you. You gave them a small smile. “So did you find the man who killed Jerome’s mother?”

They glanced at each other before looking at you again. Jim placed a hand on your shoulder and made you sit down on a chair. He sat down at his desk. “(y/n), how long have you known Jerome?”

“Since I was ten”. You looked at him, confused. “He was my first friend. Why?”

Their silence worried you. Jim took in a deep breath. “Has Jerome ever expressed….odd behavior? You know, was he ever hostile toward you or anyone else?”

“He’s a bit rough in bed if that’s what you’re asking”. You let out an awkward laugh. The look of Jim’s face when he interrogated Jerome - when you first met - flashed in your mind. Jerome had mentioned how he thinks sex is a healthy and natural human activity while placing a hand on your thigh. You could tell that Jim felt awkward about hearing that from someone younger than him. 

“You know that’s not what I’m asking you”. Jim said. You looked at him, then at doctor Thompkins. Staring back at the detective, you took a deep breath. 

“There will be times when he’ll threaten guys for staring at me”. You admitted. “But that’s just natural overprotected boyfriend stuff. In case you forgot, I am a snake dancer”.

They shared another glance. You couldn’t help but feel a pit in your stomach. Why is he asking about Jerome? Did he or did he not catch Lilia’s killer? The silence was killing you. You stood up. “What’s going on? Where’s Jerome? Who’s Lilia’s killer?”

“(y/n), calm down”. Doctor Thompkins placed her hands around your shoulder. 

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” You glared. “Where’s my boyfriend?”

“Look (y/n)” You turned to Jim. “It’s clear that you had no idea about what happened, and there’s no easy way to say this but…. Jerome killed Lilia”.

“What?” You furrowed your brows. “That’s impossible, Jerome wouldn’t kill anyone. He - He told me that he loved his mother. There’s got to be some mistake”.

“He already confessed”. Jim sat on his desk as you fell back into your seat. “Do you remember Pal Cicero, the fortune teller at the circus? He’s... Jerome’s father. He helped him with killing Lilia”.

You shook your head. “No… You're wrong. There’s -”

“Do you really think Jerome wouldn’t be capable of doing such a thing?” Doctor Thompkins knelt down in front of you. “Think back - really back - to any time where Jerome showed any odd behavior that would make you believe that he would harm someone”

_“Jerome Velaska!” You glared at your best friend. He was beating up a nice boy that you just met. His knuckles were covered in the boy’s blood and if it wasn’t for you pulling him away, he would still be punching the boy. You stood in between them. Staring at the boy behind you, you gasped at the damage to the boy’s face. The boy’s friends went over to him to help. “What is wrong with you?!”_

_“He -” Jerome stared at your face. He felt his heart fall to his stomach. You looked at him with such a disgusted face. He stared at his hands. Blood. “I… I don’t know. I’m sorry”._

_He ran. “Jerome!” You called after him._

 

_The door to your trailer opened. You looked up and saw Jerome storm inside and crash on your couch. “I swear one day I’m going to kill that woman”_

 

“Oh god” You brought your hands to your face and cried. “He really did kill her”.


	5. Goodbye

The door to the interrogation room opened. Both detective Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock followed you inside. Jerome sat at the table, handcuffed. He smiled at the sight of you. “Why if it isn’t my beautiful doll~ Tell me babe, why the entourage?”

“We’re here to make sure you wouldn’t try to hurt her”. Harvey explained.

“I would never hurt my beloved”. Jerome grinned. His eyes never left yours. You sat down across from him. Your eyes were red and puffy from crying. He pouted. “Oh, who made my kitten cry?”

“Stop with the nicknames”. You closed your eyes. There’s no way did you want to cry for him. You took a deep breath and stared at him. He looked so relaxed and at ease. You shook your head. “Why? Why’d you do it?”

“You know how she was”. He began to explain. “Always nagging me while she was fucking. To be honest, I wasn’t planning to do it but then she just had to say she was retiring. And I thought ‘well if my own mother is no longer needed on the show and my beautiful girlfriend is taking her spot, what’s the use of having her around?’” 

He let out a laugh, but it wasn’t the laugh that you loved. It was a psychotic type of laughter. A tear fell from your eye. “You killed her that morning, huh? When we reached Gotham. When we went on a date to celebrate our anniversary. That’s why you wanted me to go ahead…. You were going to kill her”.

Jerome stopped laughing and stared at you. “Why are you even upset? She was always filling your head with all that ‘seduction’ talk. She never really approved of us. But now we can be happy - after I get out of Arkham of course”.

“Do you really think I would stay with you?” More tears started to fall. “Lilia was like a mother to me. Sure she wasn’t the best person in the world, but she and the rest of the circus took me in when no one else wanted me. She may have looked like she didn’t approve our relationship, but you never noticed the look in her eyes. She was happy that we had each other. She was happy that her own son found someone….. and yet you killed her. You killed your own mother, Jerome.”

“What are you trying to say, doll?” Jerome began to glare. 

“I’m saying that I’m not going to wait for you, J” You wiped your tears. “Don’t expect to me to jump into your arms if you ever got out of Arkham - and I pray that you don’t. I’m saying that I’m breaking up with you, Jerome. Goodbye”.

You got up and began to walk toward the door. Jerome called after you. “You’re making a mistake. Don’t go, (y/n). Come back! (Y/N)!”

 

“Are you going to be okay?” You turned to the detectives. They offered to drive you home and you felt too tired to argue with them. Glancing up at your apartment building, you sighed. 

“We got that place together”. You turned to them. “I guess I’m going to be busy for the next couple of months to pay off rent”. 

“I’m sorry it had turned out like this”. Jim placed his hands in his pockets. You shook your head.

“Don’t bother. I’m sure it was bound to happen some way or another”. You smiled at them. “Thank you for solving Lilia’s case”.

“You sure you don’t want to go back to the circus?” Harvey asked you. You shook your head.

“Going back… it’ll just be a reminder of Jerome”. You explained. “I want to move on from that part of my life”.

“That’s good to hear”. Jim patted your shoulder. “Take care, (y/n)”.

“You too, detective”. You smiled. They got in their car and drove off. You let out a deep breath. Time to move on. Just like that day.


	6. Moving On

After the circus left, you fully moved into the apartment. It was sad saying goodbye to your friends and family at the circus, but you told yourself it was the right thing to do. They knew how much you had bonded with Shiba so they gave you her as a farewell present. You were also sad that you wouldn’t be there for Mary’s and John’s wedding, but you told them that you’ll send them something. 

“Alright, Shiba”. You sat down in front of Shiba’s cage. You had a pen and a notepad in your hand. “Let’s set some ground rules, shall we?”

_Rule no. 1: Get rid of Jerome’s things_

You stared down at your necklace. It was a gift from Jerome for your birthday. It had a charm with the letter ‘J’ along with a heart. “Maybe not this one… at least not yet”.

_Rule no. 2: Don’t mention Jerome_

You let out a deep sigh. Staring out the window, you couldn’t help but think back to before you went to the circus. How you never once mention your parents or uncle. It was just the way you coped with moving on. You never mention them so you would have no regrets in the future. 

_Rule no. 3: Find another job and save up for college_

“At least that’s a good thing that came out of this”. You slightly smiled at Shiba. She just hissed. “Of course that doesn’t mean I would stop hanging out with you”.

Finally, rule no. 4: _**Don’t ever visit Jerome**_

Your smile turned into a frown. No matter how much you’re going to miss him, no matter how much you’re going to want to see him, no matter how much you wish that he wasn’t an insane murder, you promised yourself you wouldn’t visit Jerome. You want nothing to do with him. You want to forget about him. That’s why you’re making these rules. “It’ll be just like with uncle”. You mumbled.

Shiba hissed. You stared at her. “That’s a different story for a different time”.

You got up and ripped the note from its pad. You placed it on the refrigerator. You then went around the apartment, looking for anything of Jerome's belongings. You separated them from yours and put them all in the spare room. “I'll figure out what to do with these later”.

 

“I swear to god, (y/n)!” You turned your co-worker and friend Taylor. She stormed into your apartment and fell on the couch. “Why did I ever let you talk me into online dating?”

“Because you were tired of being lonely”. You placed Shiba's food into her cage. “Was the girl not your type?”

“No, she's perfect!” Taylor sighed. “I just made a fool of myself”.

“I'm sure she thought you were adorable”. You smiled and sat on the couch, placing her legs on your lap. She stared at you and sat up.

“So, what's going on with you and my brother?” She raised a brow. A smirk formed on her lips. “I heard from him that you're going on a date with him Friday night”.

You rolled your eyes. “We're just going to hang out as friends. You know I'm not ready to date”.

“Yeah, yeah, you had a bad breakup with your last boyfriend”. She waved her hand. “But you never tell me why? You never even bring him up! How the hell am I suppose to know if you moved on or not?!”

“Trust me,” You stood up and went to get some coffee. “all you need to know is that I'm not going to see him ever again”.

“Is that why you still wear that necklace?” She followed you. “Because that totally shows that you moved on”.

You stared down at the golden gift. It's been about a month since the incident. You kept telling yourself to leave the necklace in the spare room - which has been locked away so Taylor wouldn't snoop around. But a part of you kept coming back and putting it on. And you hated that part.

“You know what, you're right”. You handed her a cup of coffee. “Tell your brother that it's a date”.

“I think you should tell that hon”. She smiled. “But no pda in front of me - oh and no sex when I'm home”.

You rolled your eyes and laughed. The two of you settled back down on the couch and watched t.v. The sound of Gotham comforted you as you zoned out. _It's time to fully move on._ You thought. You set your cup down and took off your necklace. _Goodbye forever, Jerome._


	7. News

The sound of a bell rang as you entered the cafe. You looked around and spotted Taylor's twin brother, Xander. He smiled and waved at you. You walked over to him. You met Xander when he went to your work to drop off Taylor’s car keys - he went to take it to the repair shop. Taylor mentioned how he owns a dance studio and suggested that you checked it out. That weekend, you went to his studio and have gone there since. 

“Hey”. He greeted you while pulling out your chair to sit. You mouthed a thank you. “So, what do you want to do after this?”

“Already want to plan ahead, huh?” You cracked a small smile. A waitress walked over to your table and set down your orders. You looked over at Xander. “And you already ordered for me”.

“Taylor mentioned how you like (favorite drink), so..” He gestured toward your drink. You grabbed it and took a small sip. 

“Thanks”. You placed the cup down on the table. 

“Well, I was thinking, if you don’t have any ideas, that we could go catch a movie then grab dinner at -” Xander’s voice fell from your ears as the television in the cafe played the news. Your eyes widen and your jaw dropped. Xander noticed and followed your eyes toward the screen.

_“Earlier today, six Arkham Asylum inmates escaped-”_ Pictures of the escapees. Your eyes went straight to the mugshot of Jerome. He was smiling this eerie smile that you never have seen before. It sent chills down your spine. You began to take large breaths. 

“No no no no no no” Xander turned to you, confused. You shook your head. 

“(y/n), what’s wrong?” He put his hand on yours. Your eyes never left the screen. “(y/n)?”

“He can’t be out, he just can’t”. Your heart began to beat rapidly. 

“Who?” Xander stood up and went to your side. You finally turned to him, eyes widening even more. 

“He’s going to kill you”. You raised your hand to your forehead. “And he’s going to kill me for even being seen with you! Oh, what have I done?!” Xander noticed how you began to have a panic attack. He grabbed his coat and helped you stand up. “Okay, let’s take you home”.

 

You paced around your apartment. Shiba began to get agitated just by seeing you panic. Taylor and Xander stood in your living room, staring at you. You had just told them about your life in the circus and Jerome. You began to fidget with the golden necklace in your hands. “And now that he’s out, he’s going to be coming after me. I just know it”.

“You… dated… as psychopath” Were the only words that came out of Taylor’s mouth. Xander gave a light slap on his sister’s shoulder. She turned to him, mouthing ‘what’. He turned to you.

“Look, (y/n)” He walked up to you, placing his hands on your shoulders to stop you from pacing around. “He’s not going to harm you. The GCPD will handle this and both Taylor and I will stay with you to keep you safe”

“What did you mean by he’s going to kill Xander?” Taylor’s brows furrowed. You glanced at both of them before letting out a deep breath.

“I broke up with Jerome that day at the precinct”. You began to explain. “As I left, he yelled that I was going to regret it. I knew that if I ever dated anyone ever again with the chance of him getting out, he’ll come after me and kill them. He’s quite territorial. Which, saying that out loud makes this necklace have a whole other meaning”.

You glanced down at the piece of jewelry. Xander held your hands and took the necklace. He placed it down on the coffee table. You looked at him. Staring at the direction of the spare room, you clenched your jaw. “I thought I could move on…” 

They looked at you. Tears began to form in your eyes. “But like they say, ‘you never forget your first love’”.

Xander pulled you into a hug. You began to cry. You wrapped your arms around him. Taylor joined the hug, wrapping her arms around the both of you. You felt safe in their arms. It’s been so long since you last felt safe. Since you last felt like you could truly trust someone. Ever since Jerome, you were always alert of the people you let into your life. You never wanted this to happen.

 

“What made you fall for him in beginning?” Taylor turned to you, holding one of the photos you had of Jerome. You had wiped your tears and calmed down. Deciding that you could trust the two with your life, you showed them the spare room. They looked around all the photos and gifts you had of red-head. “I mean, other than his looks”.

You smiled at the joke. Uncrossing your arms, you grab a photo of the two of you in the circus. Jerome had his arms around you and was kissing your cheeks in the photo. The two of you looked so happy. You remember thinking that he was the one you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. 

“It was everything about him”. You began, grabbing their full attention. You caressed the photo with a sad smile. “It was the way he talked. The way he laughed. The way he stood up for me whenever there was a problem. The way he protected me from perverts. The way he looked at me as if I was a rare jewel. He treated me like a princess when we began to date. He knew exactly what I wanted before I even had to say anything. He could see me right through me... I truly loved him and I thought he loved me too”.

Tears began to fall again. You sniffed and put the photo back down. The phone began to ring and Xander offered to answer it in case it was Jerome. You stopped him though. “It’s probably detective Jim Gordon, I had told him to call me to keep me updated on the situation. I’ll get it”.

You then left the room to pick up the phone. Upon answering, you let out a breath of relief when you heard the detective’s voice. “(y/n) are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine”. You replied. “My friends are keeping me company. Any news?”

“None so far”. Gordon let out a sigh. You could tell that he was exhausted. “We’re going to send a couple of our cops to head over to your place”.

“Okay, thank you, detective”. You glanced over to Shiba. “With a snake on my side and the GCPD, I feel safer”.

The two of you eventually hang up. You walked over to Shiba and took her out of your cage. “Come, girl”.

You walked back to the spare room, stopping at the sight before you. Two men that were covered in all black held their guns against Taylor’s and Xander’s heads. A woman stood behind them, her arms crossed over her chest. The lights were turned off and her mask only covered a bit of her face. But you knew exactly who was standing in the middle of the room. The lights flicked back on and there he stood. Jerome Velaska. 

“Oh, honey! I’m home!”


	8. Welcome Back

“Oh, honey! I’m home!” Jerome yelled, his arms wide open, expecting for you to hug him. He smiled that creepy smile from his mugshot. He stared at you, then looked around the room. “And I see that we still have some unpacking to do!”

“Jerome”. You mumbled. You knew he was coming after you, but you didn’t think he’ll be here that fast.

“Ya know, doll”. Jerome slid his finger across one of the boxes with his stuff inside. He looked at the dust on his finger. “While I was in Arkham, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I couldn’t stop thinking about if you were with some other guy or if you were drinking yourself away missing me”.

He stared at you, then at your friends. “But seeing these two here makes me think of the first option”.

“Jerome”. You repeated. He laughed. 

“Are you that shocked to see me?!” He turned and walked toward your friends. He placed his arm around Xander’s shoulder. “Tell me, (y/n), what’s your relationship with this one? And don’t lie to me”.

“He’s my friend”. You finally said something other than his name. Jerome smiled. He knew you were going to say that, whether or not it was the truth. He walked toward you. His grin grew when you didn’t back away. “How did you get out?”

“Oh, that’s another story for another time”. He circled around you, eyeing you up and down. “I see the good ‘ol circus gave you Shiba”.

The said snake hissed and stared at the ginger male. Jerome’s smile never left his face as he stroked his mother’s old partner. “Ya know, she was the only lover that dear old mommy could ever seem to hold onto”.

You fought the urge to slap him for even mentioning Lilia. He had no right to call her mother when he - her own son - killed her. Jerome then stared at you. He raised his hand and stroked your cheek. You didn’t flinch or even tried to move. It looked as if you were frozen in fear, but Jerome knew you better. You weren’t afraid of him. You knew that he wouldn’t hurt you, but he would hurt your friends. That was what you were afraid of. You let out a small gasp as his other hand began to wrap around your waist. 

“Tell me, love, did you miss me?” His voice was just above from a whisper. 

“Yes”. You took no time to hesitate to answer him. It was no lie either. You did miss him. The first couple of days after he was sent to the asylum, you drank every alcoholic drink you can get your hands on. You forced yourself to smile and laugh around others, but when you were alone you broke down and cried for Jerome. And you hated yourself for doing so. You never felt such heartbreak ever in your life.

Jerome smiled. He rubbed your sides as he stroked your hair with his other hand. He knew that you loved his gentle touches. You basically melted into his arms whenever he did so. “Did you let anyone touch your pretty little lips?” His thumb traced your lips as he asked the question.

“No”. You whispered.

“Were you a loyal kitten while I was gone?” His voice was getting deeper. “You didn’t become a stray now, did you? You waited for me just like I wanted? You took back your words from that day and continued to love me?”

This time you didn’t reply. A single tear fell from your eye, making Jerome wipe it away with his thumb. Your silence made him angry, and you knew it. His smile turned into a frown, and his loving gaze transformed itself to a glare. He wanted to wrap his hand around your neck but with Shiba already occupying the same spot, he just gripped your jaw. Your eyes widen a bit before going back to their normal state. “Answer me!”

Shiba hissed and almost bit Jerome. Luckily for him, he moved away from you just in time. The female snake opened her mouth and continued to hiss at the man. Jerome didn’t bother to look at his mother’s snake and kept his gaze on you. “Tabs, would you please?”

The lady walked toward you. Shiba threatens to bite her as well but the woman dodged. She grabbed the snake by the sides of her mouth and removed her from your neck. You protested. “Shiba!”

“You’ll get her back if you answer me!” Jerome stood in between you two. You stared at him. “Now, do you or do you not still love me?”

“She doesn’t!” Taylor yelled, grabbing both of your attention. “She thinks your an insane, psychotic, maniac! She doesn’t want anything to do with you. Why do you think she has the two of us here and contacted the GCPD as a backup? Because she wants nothing more than to see you rot in that cell of yours!”

Jerome let out a laugh. You closed your eyes, your heart breaking with every chuckle he lets out. Jerome turned and walked toward Taylor. “I see you don’t really know my precious doll that well”.

“Jerome -” 

“Shush”. He glanced at you. He had pulled out a knife and had it against Taylor’s neck. She looked frightened. He turned back to her. “You see, (y/n) here, has a precious secret. A secret that she wouldn’t even tell me. Can you believe that? But the thing about me is, I notice every little tiny detail about her. And (y/n), she never - and I mean never - mentions her past. I wonder why? She doesn’t talk about her parents or even her time in foster care. She just moves on as if that part of her life never existed. I’m sure you noticed it because I bet that she never once mentioned my name during the time you’ve known her. But here we are! Two worlds in one room!”

“Jerome, please”. You begged. “Please don’t harm them. They’re my friends. I’m the one you want. I’m the one you came here for!”

“True, but you still haven’t answered my question”. Jerome grinned. “And your precious bestie’s answer doesn’t count. I want to hear it from you. So I’m going to ask you one last time, or else male bestie over there goes first”.

The guy who held Xander shoved him to his knees. Xander looked up at you with calm eyes. But you knew that was just an act. On the inside, Xander was just as terrified as you and Taylor. The guy pointed his gun behind Xander’s head. You looked at Jerome. He grinned. “So, do you still love me?”

“Tell him the truth, (y/n)” Xander said, grabbing your attention once more. Jerome stared at him then at you. “Whatever happens, it’s okay. I’ll be fine”.

You gulped. Glancing over at Taylor, you noticed how tears began to fall from her eyes. Both of these innocent people decided to be your friends and now they’re in the whole mess of a situation. And you had no idea what to do. You wanted to scream and tell Jerome to just leave you alone, but you knew that wouldn’t happen. Not as long as Jerome is alive, he’ll always come back to you. And he thinks you would always come back to him. But would you?

You let out a deep breath and formed tight fists. You stared straight into Jerome’s eyes. 

“I told you not to expect me to jump into your arms that day”. You began. “I told you that I would never go back to you. I told you that I wasn’t going to stay with you. I told you that I was breaking up with you. But what I didn’t tell you, was that I was going to stop loving you. Because I can’t do that. I still love you, Jerome. I never stopped loving you. But you’re not the same Jerome that I fell in love with…. You’re not my J….”

You began to cry. Jerome stared at you. He retracted the knife from Taylor’s neck and walked up to you. He grabbed your chin, forcing you to stare at him. He placed his lips on yours and you didn’t bother to fight it. Instead, you kissed him back. He wrapped his arms around your waist as you placed your hands on his chest. He deepened the kiss and licked your lips. You opened your mouth and his tongue swirled around your own. 

His hands caressed your sides and you pressed yourself more into him. He left your mouth and placed small kisses all over your face. He wiped your tears away with those kisses. He kissed your nose before finally looking at you. His forehead on your own. The look in his eyes reminded you of the first time he kissed you. They were soft and comforting. He wrapped one arm around your waist while the other held your head against his chest, stroking your hair. Just like how he comforts you after a nightmare. Tears began to fall once again and you wrapped your arms around him. You nuzzled your head into his neck and cried. “I’m still the same J, (y/n)”.

Without even realizing it, you fell in love with him all over again.


	9. No More

You sniffed away the rest of your tears and pulled away from Jerome’s hug. He looked at you with that soft gaze of his. You glanced at Taylor and Xander. They looked confused and worried for their lives. You looked back at Jerome. “Please… promise me you won’t harm them”.

Jerome didn’t say anything but sighed. He eventually nodded his head in agreement. “Fine, I promise”.

A smile appeared on your lips. You felt like a weight was lifted from your shoulders. Your friends are going to okay. They're going to be safe. But that smile soon vanished as you heard the sound of guns go off. You looked over to see Taylor’s and Xander’s dying bodies. Blood staining the floor as their lifeless eyes stared at yours. A scream escaped your mouth. “Nooo!”

Jerome laughed his psychotic laughter. “Now, I wasn’t the one who did that. That was all Tabs”.

You fell to the ground, your whole body shaking. Tears flowed down your cheeks as you continued to stare at your now dead friends. That love that you felt for Jerome vanished. The ginger boy pouted at the sight of you. He knelt down beside you. His hand patting your back. 

“I’m sure this is not the time to say this, but” He stared up at the two gunmen. One of them held up a bag. “It’s time for us to go”.

You looked up just as the gunman put the bag over your head. You then felt something hard hit the back your head and you fell unconscious. 

 

A drop of water fell on your eye. You stirred awake. Looking around, you found yourself in a cold cell. Jerome stood just outside the cell, smiling. “Sorry for putting you here but the guy I’m working with doesn’t quite trust you, so you’re staying here. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to visit”.

He winked and left before you could say anything. Looking around more, you saw a bed, a toilet, a surveillance camera, and snakes. You heard the echo of a door closing. It was dark and cold. The snakes hissed and stared at you. You began to hyperventilate. “No… not again…”

You put your hands on your head, gripping your hair. Memories of your past flashed in your mind. The cold dark cage that you spent almost every night in. The sounds of the exotic snakes. Their eyes glowing in the moonlight and staring straight into yours. You crying to see your parents again, knowing that you’ll never hear their voice or feel their comfort ever again. You began to cry and scream. 

“Uncle! Uncle!” You wrapped your hands around the bars of the cage. You thought you were back in that basement. You thought your uncle would be able to hear you and come get you out. You thought that he will put down his bottle of alcohol and send you straight to bed “I’m sorry, uncle! I’ll behave! Please! Please let me out!”

You were like that for a good hour or so. Screaming. Pacing around. Crying. Apologizing to someone who is long dead and gone. It looked as if you were an animal diagnosed with cage madness. The snakes eyed you throughout the whole time. Watching your every movement as if you were their prey - which you were convinced that you were.

You finally fell to your knees. “Please uncle… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… Uncle…”

You felt something moving on your leg. You jumped at the sight of one the snakes. You stared at it in the eye as if it was telling you something. You let out a small laugh. “You’re right… He’s dead… You killed him… and now I’m stuck here forever…”

You banged your head against the wall. You couldn’t help but continue to laugh. It looked as if you were insane to the person on the other side of that camera. “That’s right he’s dead! He can’t hurt me anymore… and I’m just going to rot here and become your meal….This is my punishment…” 

At some point, you fell asleep with the snakes slithering around you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the short chapters


	10. Late Night Dinner

You stirred awake a few hours later. Jerome stood in front of you, telling the guards to leave. The lights were dimmed and there was a small candlelit dinner table set up with your favorite foods. A bed stood behind the table with two bedside tables on each side. Soft jazz music played on the record player that laid on top of one of the bedside tables. You realized that this must be Jerome’s room. Jerome coughed, grabbing your attention. 

“There’s a shower right over there”. He gestured toward the direction to the bathroom. “Why don’t you wash up?”

“What is all this?” You asked. 

“It’s our reunion date”. He walked toward you. He stroked a piece of hair behind your ear. “We have a lot of catching up to do. So go freshen up, I’ll have clothes ready for you”.

He left the room and you were hesitant to do what you were told. But knowing that you haven't eaten or showered since way earlier in the day, you figured why the hell not. The warm shower made you feel more relaxed. You had completely forgotten about your breakdown earlier in your cell as if it never happened. Once you were out, you found the clothes Jerome left for you. There were lacy black undergarments along with a red silk sleeveless dress that reached just above your knees. You had just finished changing when the door opened. Jerome looked at you, his breath taken away.

“You truly are beautiful, (y/n)”. He walked over to you. You didn’t say anything. He pulled out a chair for you to sit and you did. He sat down beside you and began to serve you some food. You looked at him serve you a glass of wine, making sure he wasn’t going to lace it with some drug. “So tell me, doll, what have you been up to while I was gone?”

He glanced at you, an innocent smile on his face. You couldn’t help but think back to the Jerome you told everything to. Well, except _that_ but that was beside the point. You felt like the Jerome before you right now, the one that had this all set up just to chat with you, was your Jerome. But you knew he could snap if you said something he didn’t like. You shrugged. 

“I got two jobs - one at a pet shop, the other as a freelance back up dancer for my friend”. You took a sip from your drink. Memories of Taylor and Xander flashed in your mind. You placed your drink back down on the table. “You know, the friends you killed”.

Jerome frowned. You didn’t even have to look at him. Before he could say anything else, you began to dig in on your dish and move on to another topic. “Mary and John are getting married”. You continued.

“Oh?” Jerome raised a brow at the mention of your friends from the circus. He never really talked to anyone at the circus unless it was something important. Otherwise, he just remained with you or Mr. Cicero. “So they finally decided to tie the knot, huh”

“Yeah”. You took another sip from your wine. “I'm supposed to send them something as a congratulations/wedding gift but I’m here instead”.

This time you glanced over at Jerome to see his reaction. He was unfazed from what you said and began to eat his own portion of the food. You took it as a sign to continue. “Mary sent me a letter asking for name ideas. They plan on waiting a year or two before starting a family but they already want ideas so they won’t fight over it ”.

Silence from Jerome. 

“John wants to name their future son Gor-”. You stopped yourself and looked at Jerome. He stared at you. 

“Gordon? As in the detective?” He asked. You could hear the slight change of tone in his voice. You slowly nodded. 

“Yeah.. as thanks for everything he did”. You turned back to your food. “Mary disagreed with him and asked me for help. I told her Richard for a boy - she told me once that she liked that name - and…”

You turned to look at Jerome. “Lilia for a girl”.

He took a sip from his drink and put it down on the table. He glanced over at you. “Why are you telling me this? Why bring up Mary and John in the first place?”

“I want to see your reactions”. Honesty. Jerome likes it when you tell the truth. He would be able to sense if you lied to him. That’s why he didn’t question you further when you told him Xander was a friend. Because that was the truth. You just didn’t mention your feeling for the boy. “Plus, isn’t it romantic? Those two were always off and on, and now they’re getting married and already thinking about children. I just want to make sure you wouldn’t go off and kill them or the whole circus. I would be so heartbroken if you ruined their happily ever after”.

“If I were to choose which one of them to kill, it would be Grayson”. Jerome let out a chuckle. “I still remembered when you teased me about how good looking he is”.

“Well, he is”. This time you let out a small laugh. “He’s one of the best looking guys there. He practically stole the hearts of every girl - you came close to him though”.

You let out a sigh. God, were you emotionally exhausted. You stirred your glass of wine. Staring at the red liquid. “I’m sure their future child will be quite the looker too”.

“Still thinking about other people while I’m right here, huh”. Jerome mumbled. You chuckled. 

“You’re the one who wanted to know what I was up to”. You turned to him. He stared at your eyes. Sitting up straight, he moved his arm around your shoulder. He leaned close. You didn’t move from him. In fact, you began to lean in too. Jerome placed his lips on yours and moved his free hand to rest on your thigh. He smiled into the kiss when he felt you reciprocate.

The small passionate kiss began to deepen. The two of you forgot about your food as your hearts began to beat faster with excitement. It’s been so long since you yearned for another’s touch. Since Jerome went to Arkham, you didn’t even bother to go out and have one night stands as Taylor suggested. You remained at home with Shiba instead. 

But now? Oh now, you had no idea what you were thinking. Jerome Velaska has killed your teacher/mother figure, your best friends and even kidnapped you. So why are you excited to have his body lean against your own? You weren’t drunk. You know he didn’t put anything in your drink. The food maybe? No. Jerome wouldn’t do such a thing. He believes that you will accept him all on your own free will, so there’s no need for such tricks. Then that just leaves your feelings.

You hate Jerome for killing Lilia. You hate him for killing Taylor and Xander. You hate him for lying and tricking you. You hate him for leaving you in that cell. You hate him for being an insane maniac. But at the same time, there was that small portion of you that still loves him. That loves the way he smiles and looks at you like you’re his world. That loves the feeling of him being beside you. That believes that he would never hurt you. 

You wanted to fight that part of you. You wanted to shove Jerome away and run. But you didn’t. You let those emotions take control over you. Jerome knew that and used that to his advantage. He parted from you and lifted you up. He laid you down on the bed, moving to kiss your neck. He stood up and reached over to one of the drawers of the bedside table. He pulled out a blindfold and handcuffs. He smirked. “It’s going to be one long night, love”.


	11. Restless Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first time I ever wrote smut, so I apologize if it isn't that great. Also, this is unedited.

Darkness. That’s the only thing you can see. Jerome had already handcuffed your hands, pinning them above your head, then had put the blindfold on you. You felt his lips on yours, gently kissing you. His hands wrapped around you, unzipping your dress. He removed the piece of clothing and tossed it to the ground. He went back to kissing you, this time with even more passion.

Jerome began to move down and kiss your jawline. One hand was massaging your breasts, while the other rubbed your sides. You let out a small moan as Jerome began to kiss and bite your neck. The hand that was massaging your hips moved to unclip your bra. Like the dress, you heard the undergarment fall to the ground. You felt him lick your neck down to the valley of your chest. The moment you felt his tongue swirl around your erect nipple, another moan escaped your lips. You could feel Jerome smile.

Of course he would smile, what would you expect?. It's been so long since he last touched you, since he last held you in his arms. To him, you are a irreplaceable jewel. You are his world. And you hate that you love the way he treats you. 

His right hand massaged your left breast as his other hand slowly moved down to rub your clit. You bit your lip to stop another moan from forming. A part of you doesn't want to feed Jerome's ego by letting him know that you're enjoying this. Especially after basically testing his buttons. 

He stopped licking your chest and went back to kissing you on the lips. As much as you still wanted to fight back, you felt defeated by your emotions. He moved to nibble on your earlobe.

“You’re so wet” He whispered. You could practically hear him smirking. “Did my little kitten miss me that much?”

You felt him beginning to move your lacy underwear out of the way. Immediately, he inserted a finger inside you, causing you to throw your head back and let out a loud moan. It’s been so long since you last had sex. Jerome could tell. He knew that it would have been hard for you trust someone after him. He was your first, and he sure as hell is going to make sure he will be your last. He’ll kill anyone that would try to touch his beautiful doll.

He inserted another finger. You couldn't help but to finally let out your moans as he pumped his fingers inside you. Jerome kissed your lips, down to your jawline then to your neck. He bit down on your soft spot, making you moan louder. You whispered a small ‘fuck’ as he began to roam his lips around your erect nipples. He stared at you. 

The sight of seeing you break turns him on. He loves it. Seeing you crumble into an erotic mess makes him feel powerful. It lets him know that he's the only one that can make you feel this way. That this side of you can only be seen by him.

You let out a small whine when you felt him remove his fingers. Jerome chuckled. “Now, now, be patient”.

He licked his fingers, tasting your fluids. Smirking, he opened your mouth just a bit and placed his fingers inside. You didn’t need him to tell you what to do. After sleeping with him like this for over a year now, you already knew. You know what he wants. Sucking on his fingers, you licked off your juices from in between. He removed his fingers and you heard him take off his pants.

You felt Jerome began to grind against you, his erect member sliding in between your legs but not entering you. He growled. Your body involuntary leaned against his. Though you hated the idea, you had to admit that you missed this. You missed the way Jerome knew what your body wanted without you even knowing. He’s been with you for two years, but he knew you for eight. Before the two of you even dated, there were times where your bodies were so close together that the both of you had to fight the urge of being all over one another. 

“J..” You moaned. “Please…”

“Please, what?” He mocked, placing a small kiss on your jawline. You moaned again as you felt his hands massaging your breasts. 

“Fuck me” You whispered. 

“What? I couldn’t hear you”. He grinded even harder. “Say it louder. Beg for it”.

“Please, J..” You arched your back. “Please fuck me”

He smirked and entered you. You let out a loud moan, toes curling, you gripping the bed sheet through your handcuffs. He spread your legs, wrapping them around your back as you adjusted to his length. You nodded your head as a signal to move. He began to pump into you.

The room began to be filled with both of your moans and the sound of your skin slapping against one another. Jerome kissed your neck and back to your lips. You opened your mouth, allowing his tongue to enter. He wrapped his arms around you, gently stroking your back and hips. You moved your arms to wrap around his neck. He began to go even faster. Your bodies inched closer together. 

“F-fuck” You moaned into the kiss. “Jerome..”

“(y/n)” He nuzzled his head into your neck. Thrusting harder into you, your moans began to get louder by the second. By now, you have forgotten about the hatred you have for the red head. All you could think of is this moment right now. The way he is loving you at the moment. The way he is placing gentle kisses all over your body. The way you’re both yearning for each other. But you knew that by morning, you’ll go back to having an internal conflict with your heart and brain. This feeling will just be an illusion.

“J” You tossed your head back as he kissed your neck. “I - I’m gonna -”

“I know” He moaned. “Me too”

You began to move your hips along the rhythm of his. Faster, harder. Your entire body shakes as you came onto his member. Jerome grinned as he saw you shatter into pieces before his eyes. He slowly thrusted into you a few more times, before pulling out, his cum leaking. Your chest heaved up and down as you regained your breath. He removed the blindfold, smiling at your gaze. He placed a small kiss on your sweaty forehead, pinning your arms back above your head.

“We’re not done yet, doll” He whispered, flipping you over so that your back was facing him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be updating two chapters on Friday so expect that soon


	12. "I'm the Boss"

You moved to lay on your side, your hand reaching out to wrap around Jerome’s body. Wait. You opened your eyes. Thankfully, Jerome wasn’t laying beside you. You sat up, looking around. The sight of a pile of venomous snakes that laid at the edge of your bed surprised you a bit. You didn’t scream or anything due to being so tired. The snakes hissed and eyed your every move. You got off the bed, taking the blanket with you. 

“If you excuse me, I’m going to take a shower”. You spoke to no one but the snakes. “No peeking”.

Once you were done showering and getting dressed, you continued to stare at the snakes. Did Jerome put them here? You wondered. But that doesn’t make sense. He knows that you’re not afraid of any type of snake. So who did? Was it his boss? The sound of a chainsaw grabbed your attention. You found a robe and put it on to cover yourself.

You walked down the hall to find a room wide open. You noticed how guards were everywhere. Instead of entering the room, you stayed by the doorway. Boxes filled with all sorts of weapons were almost everywhere. A man stood by one, grinning like a child. Another man sat down, holding a gun and wearing a helmet. Jerome had dropped the chainsaw and was arguing with another man. This man was wearing all green and was shorter than Jerome. He held a sword while another man in a suit stood in between the two, trying to calm them down. 

“What’ve you done?” The man in green mocked Jerome. “Drop up your mommy?”

“Everybody has to start somewhere”. Jerome began. You knew he’s gotten annoyed just by his change of tone. “See, I have vision and ambition and brains. You’re just a nutty old cannibal. How many people can you eat before that stick gets old?”

“I could eat one more”. The man smirked.

“I could see that we have to solve this one, once and for all”. The man wearing a suit said, pulling out a gun. He emptied out all of the bullets, leaving one. “You all know this game, right?”

“Oh, love it”. Jerome put his arms behind his back. You tilted your head in confusion, crossing your arms. Russian roulette. The man handed them the gun. “Who wants to be the boss?”

“Ladies first”. Jerome glanced at the shorter man in front of him. The said man smirked and grabbed the gun. He put it to his head, Jerome staring at him intensely. He pulled the trigger, jumping a bit. Nothing. The man was still smirking as he handed the gun to Jerome. The ginger boy gladly took the weapon, examinazing it. “Hey Greenwood, what’s the secret to good comedy?”

He held the gun to his with a huge smile. Your brows furrowed as he pulled the trigger. “Timing”.

“And what’s courage?” Jerome loaded the gun again and pointed it back to his. His voice got deeper and you uncrossed your arms. He glared at the man known as Greenwood. “Grace under pressure”.

Greenwood frowned as Jerome reloaded the gun again. Jerome walked closer to the man, his voice getting deeper and creepier. “And who’s the boss?”

You watched and waited in silence. Your heart was beating fast and you were expecting to see Jerome fall dead to the ground with this third round of his. But nothing came as he pulled the trigger. He smirked. You heard Greenwood yelp. “I’m the boss”.

Jerome laughed as he handed Greenwood the gun. The man in the suit took the gun away from him. “I believe you are Jerome. I believe you are”.

“Arigato sensei”. Jerome turned to the man, bowing. He turned to Greenwood and grabbed the sword out of his hand. “Ho hee!”

Jerome turned and noticed you at the doorway. “Babe!” He smiled. All the other guys turned to you. Jerome walked over to you, pulling you into a kiss. Your eyes widen, surprised of the sudden action. He pulled back and wrapped his arm around your waist. “Did you sleep well?”

“Like a kitten”. You smiled. By now you figured how to respond to Jerome. He wants you to be honest, but not too honest. So you decided to play his little game and follow along. You hoped by the end of all of it that you could make it out alive.

“Did you see what I just did there?” He smiled. It reminded you of how when you were both little and he always asked you to watch him while he did a stunt during the circus. It always failed but you both laughed in the end. You nodded. 

“You had me worried there”. You had your hands on his chest. “I thought you were about to blow your brains off and leave me here”.

“Oh I will never leave you, doll”. He twirled you around like you were both waltzing. He pulled you back into his chest. “Especially not with these buffoons”.

“Speaking of which -” You unwrapped yourself from his arms and turned to the man in the suit. “Where you the one who put those snakes in the room?”

“Yes”. The man walked up to you, offering his hand. “I’m -”

“Theo Galavan”. You took his hand and shook it. “I remember you from the papers. So you’re the one who broke the lunatics out”.

“These fine gentlemen aren’t lunatics”. Galavan smiled. “No, these men just see the world differently”.

Says another lunatic. You smiled at him. He put his arm on your back and began to lead you to the rest of the living room. From the corner of your eye you noticed Jerome staring. He followed close behind. You sat down on the couch while Galavan took a seat across from you. 

“I usually wouldn’t have introduced myself to you”. He began. “But after seeing how you reacted to being in that cell, made me question things about you”.

“How did I react?” You asked, tilting your head. 

“You don’t remember?” He looked at you with a confused expression. You noticed Jerome was standing behind you. “You broke down crying and panicking. Instead of calling for Jerome or anyone, you cried and apologized to your uncle. You were at it for hours. Do you really not remember?”

You stared at him. Your hands rested on your lap. You gripped the cloth of your robe. Staring at the coffee table, you responded. “I tend to forget my all of my breakdowns….”

“Well, something that you said intrigued me”. You glanced back to Galavan. “Jerome had mentioned to me how you’re not afraid of snakes, so I left snakes at your cell and in the bedroom to test it. But in the cell, you stared at the snakes and mentioned how they were the ones to kill your uncle. I’m curious. Mind telling me more about it?”

You clenched your jaw. Memories from your past flowed through your mind. Your parents. Your uncle. The snakes. Foster care. All of it flashed through your thoughts. You knew that Jerome was watching you, waiting. You took in a deep breath. 

“My parents died when I was young” You began, “I moved in with my Uncle shortly after. He owned a reptile shop, but he sold some exotic animals on the side. He kept them in the basement. There was this...huge cage where kept the snakes. I was afraid of them so I never really tried to go near them. But my uncle was a drunkard. When he was like that, he was abusive. Sometimes when I tried to fight back, he’ll put me into the snakes’ cage.”

You paused. Wrapping your arms around yourself, you began to slightly shake. Just remembering those memories had you thinking that you were back there. Jerome sat next to you, his arms wrapping around you in comfort. As much as you hate to admit it, it helped calm you down.

“But the more I spent inside there, the more I noticed how docile the snakes were around me”. You continued. “One day, my uncle forgot to lock the cage after throwing me in there. I spent the night crying for my parents. I didn’t even notice the snakes escaping until the next morning. I had woken up seeing a snake covered in blood. Then I went upstairs and there was my uncle… lying dead with snakes slithering around his body…. Some were feasting on his flesh…. Some were just roaming around and staring me….. After that I was sent to foster care. They didn't treat me any better, thought I was a freak for always being around snakes”.

You then stared at Galavan. You gave him a small glare. “Now let me ask you this, Mr Galavan, why am I here?”

“Because you’re Jerome’s lover”. He stared at you in a calm manner. Your glare hardened.

“That’s not the only reason”. You noticed Jerome staring at the both of you. It could be because you haven’t given him any attention since you met his boss, or it could be because he never once seen you act this way. You were demanding and shown no fear toward his powerful boss. He found that interesting.

“Whatever the reason is,” You stood up, not breaking eye contact with the rich man. “Know that those venomous snakes that you gladly introduced me to are now mine to control. So just try anything toward me and they’re be happy having you for dinner”.

You stormed out of the room and went back to Jerome’s bedroom. The snakes were still there, slithering around, waiting for you. You knelt down as one of them came toward you. You ran your hand through its scaly skin and hummed. The snakes made way as you went to lay down on the bed. Once you were comfort enough, they continued to do their own thing. Galavan and his men may have bought them, but to them, you were now their master.

 

“(y/n), doll,” The door opened and in came Jerome. You were laying on your stomach, head resting on your arms, snakes slithering around - surrounding you as if you were their nest. Jerome found your intense stare to be hypnototic and seductive. He had to fight the urge to jump on you and redo all the things he did to you last night. The sight of you with the snakes was like something out of a photoshoot in one of those famous magazines. He knew that the moment snakes lay their eyes upon you, they're yours to command. That’s why he isn’t bothering to get closer to you otherwise the snakes will attack him as if he were a threat. “Why did you never tell me about your uncle?”

“Because it is in the past”. A tired sigh escaped your lips. A snake wrapped itself around your shoulders, its eyes staring up at you, asking for attention. You stroked your hand along its scale skin. “What importance does it have now? My parents are dead, my uncle is dead, my mother-figure is dead, my beloved friends were killed before my eyes, and the boy who I thought I loved turned out to be a crazed psychopath. Why even bother asking when my life is just full of murder?”

Jerome glared at you. “Are you saying you don’t love me?”

“I don’t know what to feel”. You closed your eyes and sat up. Opening your eyes again, you stared at him. “But I will tell you what I am feeling right now”.

“And what’s that?” He arched a brow.

“Tired”. You shrugged. “I’m mentally, emotionally, and physically tired”

“Well, you’ll have some peace and quiet for a while. During that time, I would like you think about that question I asked you a few seconds ago”. Jerome chuckled lightly. He went over to the bathroom, taking off his shirt along the way. That was when you noticed he was holding an outfit. The snakes hissed as he walked passed them. 

“Where are you going?” You stood up and followed him. He had successfully put on his new shirt. It looked like a straight jacket. He began to remove his pants and put on the matching white jeans. 

“Off to cause some chaos”. He grinned, moving onto his hair. When he was done, he kissed your forehead and went out the door. “Don’t wait up”.


	13. A Deal

You walked into the living room, a few snakes following you close behind. It’s been a half and hour since Jerome and the rest of the Maniax left. You spent most of the day locked up in the room with the snakes. Your mind couldn’t help but wonder where Shiba was. She was your responsibility after all. Your eyes widen when you spotted Shiba in a cage on top of the table. Running up to her, you took her out and wrapped her around your shoulders. 

“Thank god you’re alright”. You smiled. 

“I’m sorry for how my sister took care of her”. You turned your attention to Galavan. He was standing in the doorway, glancing down at the snakes that followed you. He looked back up at you. “I hope by giving her back, you will begin to trust me”.

“You let out six crazed crimminals”. You glared. The snakes surrounded you, hissing, while Shiba stared at the man. “Why the hell would you want me?”

“To get closer to my target”. He shrugged and walked toward a chair to sit down. He crossed his legs. “The way you are with snakes… it’s like as if you were one of them. Sneaky, conniving, mysterious. I could use that to lure in a certain young billionaire boy. Gotham’s very own prince”. 

“Bruce Wayne”. The name escaped your mouth. You heard about him everywhere. His parents owned Wayne Enterprises until their tragic deaths, in which he inherited everything they owned. You even heard about him due to a certain curly haired stray cat that you keep running into. She’s friends with him even though she wouldn’t admit it. What does Galavan want with the Wayne boy? 

“Yes”. He stood up. “I want you to seek shelter in home”.

“Seek shelter?” You raised a brow. “What do you even want from him?”

“Nothing that you need to know about”. He placed his arms behind his back. “All you need to know is the way around his manor. Infiltrate his home from right under his nose and take one small thing that is precious to his heart”.

“And what’s that?” You took a step back as Galavan walked closer to you. The snakes hissed. 

“That, my dear,” He offered you his hand. “Is for you to find out. So, do we have a deal?”

You stared at his hand, then back at him. If you agree, you will be allowed to leave to this place and get help. But Galavan isn’t dumb. He knows you will try to take that chance and will kill you if you did. You will just have to tell someone without actually telling them. And Jerome? Well, let’s hope you’ll find help in time before he decides to show up again. So that’s that. Just act the way Galavan wants you to act while secretly asking for help to escape. It’ll be difficult, but let’s just hope you got a shot. You took his hand. 

“Deal”.

 

Jerome walked into Galavan’s penthouse, disappointed of how the first part of the plan turned out a failure. They couldn’t even blow up the school bus. He couldn’t care less that one of the guys got shot, no, he’s more upset of not killing a bus full of cheerleaders. He needed a small break to clear his mind. Galavan gave them a bit of time before heading off to their next plan. Jerome plans to spend that time with you and relax. 

He walked into his room, expecting to see you surrounded with snakes and filled with boredom, but you weren’t there. He checked the bathroom and the closet, and neither you or the snakes were in the room. He clenched his fists and stormed into the living room. Greenwood and muscle guy were eating some of the lunch Galavan had prepared, while Tabitha and Barbara were on torturing the mayor again. Galavan sat on his chair, reviewing some paperwork.

“Where’s (y/n)?” He didn’t bother hiding the anger in his voice. “She’s not in our room and she’s clearly not here, so where is she?”

“Relax, Jerome”. Galavan didn’t look at the red-headed boy. “(y/n) and I made a deal and she’s just fulfilling her part of it”.

“What type of deal?” Jerome raised a brow and crossed his arms. You were pretty clear that you didn’t want to have any part of Galavan and his plan. So why make a deal with him? He knew that you were only agree if it offered you some sort of freedom away from him. 

“Don’t worry” Galavan stood up and handed Jerome a phone. “You’re precious girlfriend wouldn’t be able to get away that easily. She’ll be back in no time. She’s just running an errand that’s all”.

Jerome took the phone and dialed the only contact that it had on it. He stormed out of the room and back to his. Pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up. You still haven’t answered my question. He let out a sigh of relief when he heard your voice through the other line. 

“Hello?” You answered.

“(y/n)? Where are you?” Jerome was already starting to become impatient. He doesn’t want you running away. He wants you right where he could see you.

“Galavan told me that I can’t say”. You explained. “But he said that you might see me later tonight, so don’t stress”.

So you’re be back into his reach by tonight. That’s good. He let out an exhausted sigh. He so badly wants to be in the comfort of your arms right now. He wants to relax with you on the bed, while you hum a song. He wants to hear you say the words ‘I love you’ to him and actually mean it. Jerome knows that ever since he brought you here you were just playing along with him. Though he appreciates you sticking with him and deciding not to run, he misses the sincere and softness tone in your voice when you speak to him.

“You still didn’t answer my question”. He laid down on the bed, putting his arm behind his head to rest on.

“What question?”

“Do you no longer love me?” His voice was a bit above a whisper. You could hear how nervous and possibly even scared to hear you answer through the phone. Yes, there are moments where you think that Jerome is the same boy you met at the circus. But most of the times… you remember that he’s the crazed maniac that killed your friends and his own mother. You truly did miss him when he was gone, but you knew it was for the best. You have no idea what to think. 

Your mind went back to last night. How you yearned for him, how he took care of you afterward like a fragile jewel. How he wrapped his arms around you and kissed your forehead, telling you that he will protect you from any and all danger that will come his way. You love that side of him, but could you love his psychotic side as well?

“I… I don’t know” You finally let out. “I don’t know what to think, J. There’s time when I do love you but there’s also time where I fear for my life just by being around you”.

“So you’re not entirely sure”. He chuckled. “Well, you do know that I love you, right?”

“In your insane murderous way? Yeah, I know”. You couldn’t help but crack open a smile. “But give me some time to think about it - give me until tonight, by then I’ll tell you my final answer”.

“Okay fine”. He smiled. “Tonight then”.

“Tonight”. You hanged up the phone.


	14. Wayne Manor

It was already an exhausting day at the Wayne Manor. Bruce has recently found his father’s secret study with a computer that could possibly retain all of the secrets Bruce has been looking for. Alfred, who has been worried for the young master’s safety since he decided to go onto his hunt for the truth, decided it would be best to break the computer so Bruce wouldn’t have to be in danger. Then the young master got upset and almost fired the British butler, but thankfully they came to an agreement and returned home. Of course, Alfred had to find some way to fix the now broken computer.

That’s were Lucius Fox comes in. An old friend of Thomas Wayne and an amazing tech wiz. Alfred had Mr. Fox to come to the manor and fix the computer, threatening him if he ever tells anyone else of what they are doing. Now, Alfred is making some light snacks while Bruce and Lucius talk in the study.

“So you promise to keep this a secret?” Bruce asked as Alfred placed the tray of food on the coffee table.

“Of course” Lucius responded. “I was good friends with your father, I wouldn’t want anything to happen to his son as well”.

Bruce nodded, feeling safe to let the man into his father’s secret base. That was until there was a knock on the door. The three men looked at each other. Alfred went to go get the door while the other two remained seated. 

“Please help me!” They heard a girl’s voice. She sounded panicked and out of breath. “Please! This - this phone is dead and I - I can’t reach anyone. You have to help me before he - he notices that I’m gone!”

Lucius and Bruce went over to the front door to see Alfred trying to calm down a terrified (y/n). You were dressed in the same clothes you were in from yesterday. They were torn and dirty. Your hair was a mess, while there were scratch marks, bruises, and dirt all over your skin. Galavan had some of his goons ruff you up a little in the forest before letting you go. During that, you made a mental note to get back at him at some point.

“Miss -” Alfred placed his hands on your shoulders. “Please calm down, miss”.

“Alfred”. Bruce called for his butler. His tone and expression showed that he was both worried and curious. The said man turned to the boy. 

“Don’t worry, master Bruce”. He stated. “Why don’t you and Mr. Fox continue our conversation while I comfort this young lady here”.

Bruce nodded and led Lucius back to the study. You took note that another person was here. Alfred turned back to you and led you to the closest bathroom. 

“Here, freshen up”. He spoke in a calm voice. “I’ll try to find you some of Mrs. Wayne’s old clothing”

You nodded and waited for him to bring you something new to wear. You then took a quick shower and got dressed in the former Mrs. Wayne’s pajamas. Afterward, Alfred took you to the kitchen and began to heal some of your scars. He made tea for you to and sat down next to you.

“What’s your name?” He asked.

“(y/n)... (y/n) (l/n)” You spoke in a quiet voice. He finished bandaging your last scar and handed you the cup of tea.

“What happened to you?” He placed his hands on his lap as you took a sip from the hot drink.

“I was kidnapped…” You gulped. “By my ex-boyfriend…”

“How did you escape?” The British man adjusted himself so he could hear you more clearly, his tone expressing his concern.

“One of his goons fell asleep while on watch”. You sniffled. “I took his keys and phone and ran… I tried calling Jim Gordon but he wouldn’t pick up, eventually, the phone died and I - I found myself here”.

“Well were you dating some gang member?” Alfred asked in disbelief. It kind of made you smile. “And I’m guessing you know Mr. Gordon because stuff like this has happened before, right?”

“Yeah”. You slowly nodded, remembering the first time you met the famous detective. How he suggested to let Shiba out of her cage in order to find Lilia. How he solved her murder and drove you home after arresting Jerome. You turned to stare at Alfred. “Please, let me stay here for tonight. Then tomorrow in the morning, I will head straight to the GCPD. Please? I… I just want to rest and catch my breath right now”.

Alfred let out a deep sigh as he stared at you. You looked helpless and so vulnerable. He’ll have to talk to Bruce about this, but he already knows that he’ll say yes. Then again, he’ll probably refuse since the whole computer thing is happening. The phone rang before Alfred could give you an answer. He went to pick it up.

“This is Wayne Manor”. He greeted. “Oh my god. Yes. We’ll be on our way”.

He hanged up the phone and turned to you. “Wait here”.

You couldn’t say anything since he ran out of the room right away. You sank back down into your seat. What was that phone call about? Alfred came back, along with Bruce, both getting their coats on. 

“Come miss”. You could tell that they were in a rush and followed them.

 

The three of you arrived at the GCPD. There were cops, ambulance and news reporters everywhere. You looked around, brows furrowed in confusion. You stopped walking when you overheard one of the news reporters mention the Maniax. Looking up, you caught up with Alfred and Bruce. They walked into the precinct, rushing to find Jim Gordon. You continued to look around.

There were cops and paramedics all around. People were getting their injuries patched up. Bodies of dead officers were being taken away by the paramedics. Your mind went back to that reporter who mentioned Jerome and the guys. 

“Detective Gordon!” Bruce called out. They turned and Jim Gordon stood there. Blood covering his face. He looked exhausted. 

“Bruce”.

“I heard what happened”. Bruce stated. “I was worried something happened to you. I’m very relieved”.

“Me too”. Gordon nodded. You stood behind Alfred.

“Th-The last time we met, I was… I was very hard on you”. Bruce took a step forward. “I wanted to apologize. You’ve been a really good friend”. The two shared a hug. Gordon glanced at Alfred, who nodded to him. He noticed you hiding behind the British man. He released himself from the hug. “(y/n)?”

Alfred and Bruce turned you. You didn’t know what to say. You glanced around one more time and stared at the detective. You stood there, feeling awkward. “This was all his doing, wasn’t it?”

“Where is he?” Gordon walked up to you, anger in his voice. “Where’s Jerome?”

“I don’t know”. Liar. “He had me locked up in some warehouse. He only visited once. I don’t know where he is”.

Lies. Why are you telling lies? This is your chance. Tell him. Tell him about Galavan. About the maniax. About why you were sent to Wayne Manor. Tell them that you still have to talk to Jerome. Tell them that they can follow you and catch him. Why are you protecting that psycho?

“Wait” Alfred cut in, staring at you. “You’re ex-boyfriend is the lunatic that did all this”.

A tear fell from your left eye. You wiped it away and nodded. You looked down at the ground. “I’m sorry, detective. I’m so sorry”.

“Did he ever say anything to you?” You looked up at Gordon. “Did he say anything where he could be possibly staying at?”

“I wished he did”. You continued lying. “That bastard killed my friends and did this. He needs to be stopped”.

“And he will” Jim Gordon reassured you. He patted your shoulder before turning to Alfred and Bruce. “Can you two keep her until we find Jerome? Your manor is the safest place she could go to right now”.

“Of course”. Bruce replied. Gordon thanked him and walked away. The three of you made your way out of the precinct and back to the car. 

 

You sat on the bed of the guest room you were sleeping in. Bruce and Alfred were still up in the study. You pondered about the deal you made with Galavan. Something Bruce loves. But could you possibly go along with the deal? No. You ran your hand through your hair in frustration. The phone you had buzzed as a call was coming in. You picked it up. “Hey, Jerome”.


	15. Answer

“I thought you said I will see you tonight, doll” Jerome growled. He was angry. You weren’t back yet, making him think that you decided to run away. “I even prepared dinner so we could talk”.

“Hm. Too bad”. You spoke, your tone showing how much you don’t care. “I’ve always liked your cooking”.

“Doll” Jerome’s voice got deeper. “Where are you?”

“Galavan said I can’t say, remember?” You continued speaking in that indifferent tone. You looked out the window. The stars shined as you could see some birds fly toward different trees. It was quite peaceful. “But I would tell you that it has pretty view”.

Silence. You could hear Jerome mumble something out of frustration. You laid down on the bed. Staring up at the roof, you thought back to the GCPD. The number of bodies that were being carried away. The blood on Jim Gordon’s face. The number of injured people. The reporters. 

When you came back from the GCPD, you watched the news and saw the video of Jerome. The blood that was not his on his face, the large grin he had, his psychotic laughter, his speech. It terrified you. It sent chills down your spine. “Why?”

“What?”

“Why did you kill them? Those police officers. The commissioner…. Why kill them?” Your voice cracked. “I mean I get it. They’re a symbol of authority, but they were only trying to keep Gotham safe”.

“Safe from what exactly”. Jerome hummed. “Me? You? Themselves? Gotham is corrupted (y/n). There’s no point in saving anyone”.

“That’s just what you think”. You said above a whisper. “I’m tired, Jerome. I’m tired of all this. You killing, me being scared and conflicted about my feelings. I just want things to return to before. To when we were both at the circus just being in love. Why can’t we do that?”

“Because, kitten, we’re not same kids that we were back then”. You could tell Jerome was getting angry. “Like I said in my wonderful speech, I’m free. You just have to realize that sanity is keeping you imprisoned in your own mind. Wake up, (y/n), and stand by my side”

Tears flowed down your cheeks as he spoke. You sniffed. This was it. You found your answer. Sitting up, you played with the fabric of the bed’s covers. “Good night, Jerome. I’m going to sleep”.

“Oh no, you’re not”. He spoke over the phone. “You still haven’t answered the damn question”.

You sighed. Jerome wouldn’t let you end this conversation without you saying it out loud. He has an idea what your answer is, it’s just that he doesn’t want it to be true. Although you knew it would break your heart and anger Jerome even more, you also knew that it was for the best. “I love you, but we’re falling out of sync. It just won’t work out, J”

You hanged up before he could say anything. Opening a random drawer, you through the phone in and shut it. That’s enough for an entire lifetime. You fell back onto the bed, taking in the warmth of the blanket. 

 

It’s been almost a week since the incident at the GCPD, Jim Gordon has been non stop with his hunt for Jerome. He visited you a couple of times just to see if he contacted you or not. But you continued to lie. Well, is it lying if you actually don’t know what he’s doing at the moment? You know where he’s staying and the person who is behind all of this but you just won’t reveal it. You tell yourself it’s because you still love the ginger maniac, knowing that it still doesn’t justify your actions but you pretend that it does.

Alfred and Bruce were in the study once again. You were left alone, looking around the manor. You’ve already seen the family photos, the art, and interesting decor, the many hallways, and now you’re in the garden. Birds flew by and went as you walked. Sitting on a bench, you pulled out the phone once more. You expected Galavan to call you but nothing. Did Jerome tell him about your response? 

Since you were only allowed to leave because you were supposed to find what Bruce Wayne loves most, you wondered why Galavan hasn’t checked up on you. At first, you had no idea what to look for. Especially when Alfred and Bruce were always in the study with the man known as Lucius Fox, talking about Wayne Enterprise. It wasn’t until you woke up upon hearing Bruce scream from a nightmare that you found out what he loves. His family. You knew his parents were dead, but he still has one person in his life to call his family. Alfred Pennyworth. His butler.

Your heart ached when you figured that out. If it was an object, then you could easily take it and leave. But if it was a person... You didn’t even want to think about that. Bruce already experienced the loss of his parents, and losing Alfred would break him. You just couldn’t bring yourself to cause that pain. 

“Hey” You looked up, a bit shocked to see Bruce outside. He stood there, not knowing exactly what to say. The young billionaire boy is as awkward as Selina described him to be. “Um… Alfred is making lunch”

“You don’t have to try to comfort me, Bruce”. You stood up, figuring out why he decided to come out of his hole. “I’m alright”.

“Right”. He nodded. You could tell that he didn’t believe you. You don’t even believe yourself. After seeing what Jerome did to the GCPD, anyone would want to seek help from those around them. But you? You’re just 100% done with Gotham. 

The two of you enter the kitchen, Alfred placing down plates with the food he prepared on the table. He glanced at you as you sat down before turning to Bruce. The young boy eyed his guardian with a ‘not-now’ look. You were already munching on the delicious homemade lasagna when Alfred turned back to you.

“Excuse me, miss” You looked at the older man. “There is going to be a gala tonight for the children’s hospital..”

“Yeah.. and?” 

“Well, since it’s not safe for you to stay here by yourself” He continued. “Master Bruce and I were thinking that it would be best for you to join us”

You gave it a thought. On one hand, you’ll feel uncomfortable going to a fancy gala filled with most of the rich folk in Gotham. On the other hand, you’ll be quite lonely in this big manor with nothing to do and who knows what could happen if you’re alone. So you have two choices. Stay and risk getting kidnapped with no one around to help, or go to a party that will have many witnesses and most likely guarantees your safety. 

“Alright, I’ll go” You nodded. Alfred and Bruce took a glance at each other. They sat down and the three of you enjoyed a quiet lunch.

 

_Shatter_

Barbara and Tabitha stared at Jerome. He just got back from killing his father and is pissed because you haven’t been answering his calls. Theo Galavan tried calming down the red-haired maniac, reassuring him that you’re still on their side, only for Jerome to throw a glass cup at a mirror. Jerome ran a hand through his hair. 

“Why do you care so much about her anyway?” They turned to Barbara, who was sitting on Tabitha’s lap. “I mean, we could just kill her and then you could find some other girl to screw with”

“(y/n) is not LIKE other girls”. Jerome yelled. “She may claim that she’s a saint but there’s madness in her. I’ve seen it”.

“Really? You have?” Tabitha raised a brow.

“Only once. She didn’t even notice I was there, but I saw what she could do”. Jerome murmured. “I saw her secret”.

 

Jazz music played as you were getting ready for the gala. Humming along to the song, you brush your hair, Fly Me To The Moon by Frank Sinatra beginning to play. Alfred had gone and bought you a dress to wear and had given it to you earlier. It’s a floor length off-the-shoulder red dress with a floral pattern. It’s been a long time since you got an extravagant gift like this so you’re a bit nervous about wearing it. There was a knock on the door, you opened it, revealing your outfit to Alfred and Bruce. Their awed expression made you blush a bit. 

“You look good”. Bruce stated, a small smile forming on his lips. 

“Thanks”. You said as Alfred handed you a coat. The three of you began to make your way to the gala.

 

Once the three of you arrived, you couldn’t help but look around. You heard Bruce already complaining about not wanting to be here, Alfred telling him to act normal. The moment Dr. Lee walked up to them, you walked away to the food bar. You knew that if she saw you she would ask you about Jerome. Now is not the time for that. 

You glanced around the room. Men and women chatted about recent news, business or catching up in each others’ lives. You noticed Bruce walk toward a girl, smiling as you recognized your friend Selina Kyle. Those two would make a good pair. You turned back to grab more food, only for someone to take the last of the desert you were reaching at. Glancing up at them, you gave an awkward smile. 

He wore a mask and a tall hat that shadowed over most of his face. He smiled at you. It was the magician. You had looked at a sign before entering that mentioned a magician as a guest performer. You retracted your hand back to your side. “You’re the magician, aren’t you?”

“Indeed I am” He bowed, a big grin on his face. You gave him a small smile. 

“I used to be in the circus, so seeing a magician makes me feel a bit at home”. You began to start a conversation with the stranger. “I’m looking forward to your performance, Mr..?”

“Reynaldo”. The magician continued to smile. He handed you the small desert. You waved your hand in rejection. 

“It’s fine”. You glanced up at him. “The world is a ‘first come, first serve’ type of place, plus think of it as a good luck charm from one performer to another”.

He nodded. The magician was about to say something, but you had cut him off. From the corner of your eye, you noticed Selina leave Bruce in an angry manner. You turned to the magician. “Excuse me”.

He glanced at you as you walked toward Bruce. You placed your hand on the young boy’s shoulder, asking him about how his conversation went. The magician tilted his head, curious as to why you look worried about the billionaire’s affairs. His assistant walked up to him, tapping his shoulder. She looked at him, not saying a word, but still managing to tell him that it’s time. He took one more glance at you before walking away.


	16. Sanity

The gala was going so smoothly. People were enjoying their time with one another, donating money to the hospital, talking about whatever topic they wanted, enjoying food, and feeling overall accomplished with their work. So what went wrong?

One minute, they were enjoying a magic show. Bruce got called up to volunteer. Alfred getting worried when Bruce was chopped in half and put back together. Everyone was enjoying the magician and his show. They were fond of his boyish charm.

Boyish charm. Why didn’t you notice it before when you talked to him? Why was it until he said that no one was going to leave here alive when you finally noticed it? Why did it take until Barbara accidentally unmasked herself and Jerome threw the dagger at the deputy mayor’s heart that you reacted?

The whole room went into chaos after that. Servers locked the exits, pulling out their guns and began to shoot anyone who tried to escape. Bruce ran off to who knows where. Alfred was being held at gunpoint. Dr. Lee had been taken as a hostage and tied to the wheel. It was when you tried to escape among the chaos where you were taken to the stage as well. One of the servers pull out a camera and began to film as other servers held you tight. Jerome took off his disguise and took Dr. Lee’s phone.

He dialed Jim Gordon, asking for a ransom. “You got ten minutes or I start killing people. Remember, this is being broadcast to every home in Gotham, so you know, don’t let people die”

Jerome laughed into the phone, getting closer to the camera, then hanging up and turning around with a calm composure. “I think that went well”.

“Enough” You heard Galavan’s voice from the audience. Eyes widening as he came closer to Jerome. Getting the sense that the two planned this from the very beginning, you felt your heart drop to your stomach. Both fear and anger resonated through you as you watched Galavan and Jerome speak. The fact that they chose a fundraiser for the children’s hospital to pull a skit to make Galavan look good fueled your body with anger. The fact that Jerome agreed scared you. You wanted to have children with him and he does this sort of thing. You didn’t know what to feel anymore.

You wanted to shout out their plan. You wanted to reveal the truth, not caring that they might kill you in the end. But you couldn’t find the voice to do so. You thought the fear was stopping you, but as you looked at Jerome, you slowly realized the true reason. You finally understood why he decided to show his true colors to you after all these years. As you saw Barbara hit Galavan with a hammer, you found your voice once again.

“Jerome” You fought back against the servers’ grasp. “Jerome, please look at me. This isn’t you. I know it. Look at me, J”

The redhead didn’t pay any attention to you. You continued to struggle against the hold until you were free. You ran in front of Jerome, cupping his face in your hands. Tears forming in your eyes. People stared at you, suspense filling the air.

“J, please look at me”. You continued to plead, forcing a small smile. “I know that you’re mad about what I said on the phone, but listen to me, please. I get it now. I didn’t before, but now I do. Lilia, your father, those bastards that your mom called lovers, and everyone else that came into your life treated you terribly. But you always knew that you could find safety and comfort in me. I’m your happy place. And I know that you’re mine too.”

“So when you finally couldn’t take it no more, you left all of your sanity with me. You left it so you can show everyone the potential you have. But this isn’t the way to do it”. You removed your hands from his cheeks to hold onto his own hands. You held them close to your chest, tears falling down your cheeks. “We could still have a life together like we imagined, Jerome. We could still be happy. Just don’t hurt these people. Please… J… I still love you”

You kissed Jerome, hands cupping his face once more. Some people murmured at the action, others stayed quiet. Jerome wrapped his arms around your waist, kissing you back. He pulled away, laughing. Your brows furrowed as he held you tight.

“Oh, dollface” Jerome grinned. “I know what you’re doing, and it’s not gonna work”.

“J”

“Tie her up”. He ordered. Two guys grabbed you and pulled you away from Jerome. They took a rope and tied you to a chair. You struggled, calling for him. He turned to you, placing a kiss on your cheek. “Don’t worry, babe, it’ll only be until I’m done here”.

“Jerome” You cried. He ignored. They wrapped a napkin around your mouth to stop you from making any noises. You struggled against the ropes, crying in frustration as you begin to realize that you’re helpless. All you can do is watch now.

Jerome managed to get a man from the audience and forced him to stand with an apple above his head. You watched in horror as Jerome pointed his gun at him. He acted as if he was scared to shoot the man, covering his eyes as he pulled the trigger. Water sprayed and covered the man’s tie. Barbara laughed as Jerome grabbed another gun, ordering the man to turn around. The audience mumbled as Jerome shot the apple from the man’s head.

The audience was quiet. Jerome stared at them, telling them to clap. While they did so, Barbara began to talk to Lee and Jerome walked up to you. He sat on your lap, smiling and humming as to say he’s content. You stared at him. Pulling down your gag, he placed a small kiss on your lips. 

“Do you remember, (y/n) -” He began to speak in a low whisper so that only you can hear him. “-when you and Jeremiah went off somewhere after a show? We were about 12 at the time. You showed him how you can easily handle snakes, telling him that it felt as if you understand each other and that’s why they killed your uncle. You believe that they heard your deepest darkest wish and acted upon it”.

Your eyes widen at the mention of that memory. You remember that day clearly. Jeremiah had given you a chocolate bar before a show. You told the boy to meet you there afterward so you could show him your secret. “How did you -”

“Oh, I just followed you” He shrugged and got off of you. “I actually had my eyes on you from the moment we met. You were just too beautiful”. He caressed your cheek.

“You said that you love me, that I left my sanity in you. But I’ve always been this way”. He continued to speak, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear. “I love you so much, (y/n). I never once lied or faked my feelings for you just so this could happen. I was afraid that once you saw my true self you would leave me, and you did. I just hope that you understand that my feelings for you remain true. I would make sure no harm will come to you”.

He placed a kiss on your forehead as he put the gag back on your mouth. You stared at him as he walked toward his guns once more. You could still feel the warmth of his lips on your forehead. Once again, you were having an inner conflict with yourself. Should you fall back into Jerome’s arms and trust that what he just said is true or should you leave and escape this horrible nightmare? You love him, you told him you will love every part of him, you dreamt of a future with him. But are you willing to love the Jerome that you see before you?

As you began to have an inner debate in your mind, you didn’t even realize that Jerome had begun calling for Bruce Wayne. While he tried to lure the billionaire boy out of hiding, Barbara walked up to you. She smirked at you, pulling down your gag once more. “I know about the deal you made with Galavan, so tell me, what does our dearest prince Bruce love?”

You stared at her. Bruce already lost what he loved. He loved his parents. He loved his family. But he still has Alfred. You glared at the woman before you, daring her to try to make you talk. The two of you stayed at a staring contest until you began to wonder if the butler was able to escape and was with Bruce. Glancing toward the audience, you spotted the British man, but not the billionaire boy. Barbara followed your gaze, causing you to notice and kick her shin and head butt her. She turned back to you, slapping you across the face.

“Kill the butler,” She said, forcing the gag on you again. They began to bring Alfred toward the stage until Bruce came out from a curtain, yelling for them to stop. Bruce and Alfred reunited for a mere second before Jerome held Bruce with one arm and holding a knife to his neck with the other.

“Let gets this started, huh?” Jerome said, then turning to one of the servers. “You, check behind the curtain, make sure no one's playing silly buggers”.

A gunshot. Jim Gordon appeared from the curtain, while at the same time, Alfred freed himself from the server’s grasp and pulled out a gun. The two fired at the henchmen, then pointing to Jerome. The redhead held the knife even closer to Bruce’s neck, causing a small cut. He dared them to shoot. “I don’t have a clean shot”. Gordon shouted.

“Stay calm, Bruce” Alfred spoke.

“Seems like we got ourselves a pickle”. Jerome laughed. “What do you say Brucey boy? Want to boost our ratings, huh? Smile”

You noticed movement from behind Jerome. It was Galavan. Your eyes widen as he held a knife over Jerome. “I said enough!”

"J!"

Jerome turned around, releasing Bruce, just as Galavan pierced his neck. The older man kept the knife there until Jerome laid on the ground dead. Barbara had vanished as the GCPD burst through the doors. Lee and you were released from your restraints, but you couldn’t move. You continued to sit on the chair, staring wide eye at Jerome’s lifeless body. He was still smiling his creepy smile.

Gordon spotted you and helped you up. You didn’t say anything. You just slowly looked away from Jerome the moment Gordon took you with him. Alfred, Bruce and Theo Galavan were exchanging greetings. You shared a small glance with him. Still frozen in shock from what he just did, you couldn’t find the voice to speak. Once he left, walking right past you, you began to feel tears falling from your cheeks.

Alfred and Bruce were about to leave, just as Lee appeared. Jim noticed your state and grabbed their attention. “Mind taking (y/n) back to the manor? I think she should -”

“NO” You shouted. They glanced at you. Staring at Alfred and Bruce, you thought back as to why you even met them in the first place. Jerome was the only person that was keeping you safe from Galavan. Because of him, you only stayed at the warehouse for a few hours. You were able to get Shiba back. You were able to escape to the Wayne Manor. But now he’s gone. There’s no use for you anymore. You know that Galavan is going to send someone to kill you. After all, you could reveal his entire plan. And you didn’t want to involve Bruce and Alfred into it. They’ve been through enough for one day.

“I’m planning on just going home”. Your voice was hoarse.

“Well, we can drop you -”

“No need”. Alfred stared at you, concern, as you refused his offer. You began walking toward the exit. “Good night…. And thank you, for everything”.

You gave them a small smile as you left. They stared at you as you left the building. They were all concerned about you and you know that. They just hope that you can get through the pain and move on. Just like how you used to.

But can you?


	17. Grief

The entire walk to your apartment was spent thinking about your life. You had walked into a convenience store, grabbing a bottle of alcohol, paying for it with the necklace that Alfred bought you to match your dress. You didn’t exchange any words with the cashier, you just dropped the piece of jewelry on the counter then left.

While you chugged down the bottle, you thought about the circus. Your friends Mary and John. Lilia, Haly, and the rest of the crew treating you as if you were their daughter. Playing and cuddling with the animals. Hanging out with Jeremiah before he ran away, leaving you confused as to why. Meeting Jerome and falling in love with him.

Your awkward first date. The cute and bashful first kiss the two of you shared. The way he was gentle with you the first time the two of you slept together. The way he came to you after receiving beatings from Lilia and her lovers. His hands softly caressing you after a nightmare. His loving gaze as he watched you dance. His charming smile and contagious laugh. You remember the feeling of him leaning closer to your hands as you traced his freckles. You remember the feeling him kissing the palms of your hands, causing you to laugh. The way he danced with you around the bond fire.

His soft kisses. His arms wrapping around your waist as if to protect you from the whole world. The way it felt when he touches your sides, causing you to lean on to him. His soft voice telling you that he loves you. His everything.

Tears fell as you reached your apartment. You stood in the room where you placed Jerome’s stuff. You didn’t bother turning on any of the lights. You remained in the darkroom, remembering Xander and Taylor roaming around the room, trying to understand your relationship with the redhead. Their dead bodies falling to the ground.

You fell to your knees, wailing at this point. How could you have let this happen? How could you have continued to stay in Gotham? You could’ve left with the circus. You could have never met Xander and Taylor. They could’ve stayed alive. You could’ve moved on. Witness John and Mary’s wedding. Meet their first child. Stayed with Shiba and continued being Haly’s Circus’ charming snake dancer. You could’ve met someone else and fallen in love, could’ve married someone new. You could’ve given birth to their children and live old with them ‘till you die.

But instead, you stayed. You continued to let Jerome into your mind. You continued to stay with him. You continued to love him.

The sound of a hiss grabbed your attention. Turning around, you spotted Shiba. She moved toward you. At first, you thought it was a hallucination, but the moment you felt her scaly skin, you realized she was real. Your eyes widen as you stared at the slithering creature. Getting up, you grabbed Shiba and ran out of the apartment. They’re here.

Just as you ran down the steps, you felt something pierce your shoulder blade then your chest. You could only hear a sharp piercing noise as you placed your hand on your chest, only to see blood. You fell to the ground. Shiba slithered her way out from under you, wrapping her body around you. Your vision began to go blurry.

So this is it, huh? You thought. This is how I’m leaving this world.

Right when you thought this was the end, you saw through your blurry vision and noticed someone open their apartment door. With the last of your strength, you moved your hand to reach out to them, calling for help.

Then you fell unconscious. The last feeling you ever felt was that of Shiba’s warmth.


	18. New Beginning

_You were surrounded in darkness, white fog is the only thing you can see. There was nothing around you for miles. You had no idea where you are. You couldn’t even remember who you are. Not your name, not your friends and family, not your childhood, nothing. The feeling of panic began to rise to your chest as you walked through the darkness. You began to yell out for someone. But nobody came._

_Shush, child. You paused upon hearing a voice. A woman’s voice. You turned your head to look for someone, but still, nothing. Then the fog cleared. A snake laid in front of you. It hissed. Do not panic. I am here to help._

_“Who are you?” You asked. “Who am I?”_

_All will be answered soon. The snake hissed. You continued to look confused as it began to slither toward you. It is time to wake up from this sleep. You looked at the creature, confused as to why the fog began to appear again. A sudden chill ran down your spine as you felt the snake’s body slither its way up to your body. As soon you made contact with the snake’s scaly skin, you saw bits and pieces of who you are._

_A basement filled with exotic animals. Circus music. Snakes. A boy. Snakes. Red Hair. A gunshot._

 

Eyes opening wide. Bright white light was the only thing you could see. Your eyes moved side to side, adjusting to the light. You felt that your hands and legs were tied down to the surgery table you were placed on. Looking around, you spotted a table full of pills, syringes, trays, etc. _You are awake._ You turned your head toward the direction of the voice. A snake laid in a cage, staring at you. _Welcome back, (y/n)._

“(y/n)...” You repeated the name in a low whisper. Turning to the snake, you thought about the dream you just had. “Is that my name?”

The snake nodded just as people rushed into the room. A few assistants, a woman, and a man. All were wearing lab coats. The assistants rushed to you to take your vitals, making sure you’re nothing was wrong. The man and woman stared at you. Their eyes pierced into yours through their glasses. The woman looked at the man, who began to walk up to you.

“What is your name, child?” He asked. You stared at the snake.

“The snake says its (y/n)” You turned to the man. He stared back at the woman. She walked up to him. They whispered a few things before turning back to you.

“Did the snake tell you anything else?” The man spoke. “Do you remember who you are?”

You slowly shook your head. No. He looked at you, disappointed. He gave a quick glance at the woman then looked back at you. He smiled. “No worries. My name is Doctor Hugo Strange, the ward of this faculty”.

“This is Miss Peabody, she’s the head nurse here”. He gestured toward the woman. The assistants began to release you from the table, helping you off and to your feet. “She was the one who found you and brought you here”.

“What happened to me?” You glanced at the two.

“Nothing that couldn’t be fixed”. He continued to smile. “I will say this, though, you did suffer through a month-long coma. We’re going to have to keep you here, just to make sure that you’re completely healthy”.

“Miss Peabody”. He turned to the woman. “Show our new guest to her room, please”.

As two of the assistants grabbed you by your arms, Miss Peabody and Doctor Strange began to exit the room. “Wait” You grabbed their attention. “What about the snake? May I take her with me?”

Sharing a glance with the nurse, the doctor sighed. He gestured to one of the assistants to grab the cage with the slithering creature. Once you saw them grab the cage, you followed Miss Peabody, not realizing that you had easily gotten out of the assistants’ tight grasp.

You followed her to a room, looking around as you walked there. Once the door open, you stepped in. There were only a bed and a urinal with a sink. The assistant that held the cage, dumped the snake out and left. The door locked shut and you heard them leaving down the hall. You sensed movement beyond the other side of the walls. It was the people in the other rooms. You wondered as to why you could hear that. The rooms here look quite thick enough to not hear one scream if you were locked in them.

_(y/n)._ You looked down to see the snake moving around you. Sitting on the bed, you picked up the snake. You stared at her in the eyes. “Do you know what is wrong with me?”

_You can hear me._ The snake spoke. _I think you finally became part snake yourself._ You felt the snake stroke your cheek with her tail. You placed your hand where she touched you, feeling patches of scaly skin. Looking at the snake, you began to be even more confused.

“What’s your name, snake?” You asked. “How do you know me?”

_Shiba._ She responded. _You are my master._

“So you know everything about me?” Shiba nodded. You smiled, but before you could begin to ask questions, she spoke. _But it is best to not remember._

“Why”

_Because you have suffered through enough. This is your new beginning. Take this as an advantage. You can start clean. You have this chance to restart your life. Use it._

You stared at Shiba. Not knowing what to say, you laid yourself on the bed. Shiba wrapped herself in between your arms to cuddle. You thought back to what she said. A new beginning. A chance to restart life? Just what happened to you for your own snake - your pet- to tell you this. You closed your eyes, trying to remember. The only images that appeared were those of your dream. Thinking back at it…. You couldn’t help but shed a tear when thinking about the boy. Just who is he?


	19. Indian Hill

It’s been a couple of weeks since you woke up. You obeyed everything that Doctor Strange and Miss Peabody said. You never left your room, ate whatever they gave you, took your medications, didn’t resist when they took you for testing. You were quiet. You never complained. Not even when they forced you into electric-shock therapy nor when the guards beat you up just to see if you would fight back. You didn’t do anything. The only time you did speak was when you talked to Shiba. 

Because of this, you earned rewards. After coming back from the lab, you would find new things in your room. A better toilet, a mirror, a change of clothes, pairs of shoes, new blankets, books, and magazines. One day, you found two new snakes speaking to Shiba.

_Who are you?_ Shiba hissed, wrapping herself around your feet. 

_I am Sage._ The male spoke. _And I am Jade_. The female moved toward Siba. You knelt down, hesitant to touch them. “I’m (y/n). Why are you two here?”

_The humans said that they want to see how we would respond to you._ Sage slithered toward you, Jade followed. _They seem to be curious about your abilities. We are too_. Glancing at the camera in the corner, you stood up. You walked to your bed, grab a book and laid down. “Do what you want”.

As the three snakes slithered around each other, trying to understand and trust one another, you pretended to read the book you held. You were actually listening to the people in the rooms next to you. They were quiet today. A few made small noises here and there, but for the most part, it was peaceful. You would hear doctors, nurses and guards talk about their daily lives and work. You would hear their secrets. The moment the workers left the hall, and your neighbors continued to remain quiet, you began to actually read the book.

Then you began to hear loud noises. You heard footsteps from down the hall. They weren’t from any of the workers nor Peabody’s or Strange’s. Walking up to the door, you peeked through the small sliding window. You caught a glance of a man with glasses coming down the hall. He wore black and white striped clothing. 

The man reached your door, you could hear his heart beating fast out of fear. He had his back to you, turning his head each direction. You lifted the small broken food door, reaching out your hand to grab his arm. He jumped and turned your direction. Your eyes shined a bright yellow as you stared directly into his. His heart began to beat even faster. You could tell that he wanted to scream. 

“Leave” You hissed, letting go of him. He ran away from your door. You could hear him go down the hall and run out of your reach of hearing. Sighing, you went back to your bed. Well, that was new.

 

A few days passed since the day that man entered the building. Since that day, you began to have migraines. Your eyes hurt as you began to have flashes of your dream again. It was the same thing over and over again. Sage and Jade have bonded to you by now, creating an alliance with Shiba. So when they saw you in pain, they began to panic. Shiba tried soothing you, Jade hissed loudly for the guard to hear, and Sage slithered back and forth around you. Whenever a guard or worker came close to you, you even began to fight back against their hold causing the snakes to bite them. That was when they decided to call Strange and Peabody down to check up on you.

The door opened, you didn’t look up. Miss Peabody stood by the door as Strange kneeled down in front of you. He reached for your shoulders, pausing as the snakes hissed loudly. You held your head in your hands. “What is the matter, (y/n)?”

“Who am I?” You mumbled. No response. “Why am I here? Why can I hear the snakes and everything around me? Why do I have patches of scales on my skin? Why am I starting to see heat signatures?”

You turned to face them. All of the questions you had about yourself from the moment you woke up began to rise. You were scared. It felt as if you were drowning with each passing day. It was suffocating. You needed to know. “What happened to me?”

They shared a glance. Strange turned to you, placing his hands on your shoulder, the snakes hissing. He spoke in a soft voice. “You are the queen of snakes. It does not matter what happened to you, what matters is that you survived”

“And these abilities?” You stared at your hands as if they were a curse given to you.”Why do I have them?”

He sighed. You turned to him. “These abilities were always a part of you. I just helped activate them. There is no need to be afraid of them. You have so much potential, it would be a shame to waste such talent. And there is no need to worry, Miss Peabody and I will do everything we can to make sure you’re healthy and safe”

Your eyes turned a bright yellow as you listened to the doctor’s heartbeat. It was beating a bit faster than usual. You remember reading about how the heart beats just a bit faster when someone lies. He was lying about that last statement. You turned away from him. The snakes began to glare and silently hiss. 

“Leave” Your voice was harsh. The snakes rushed to your side, showing their fangs and hissing at the two. Strange stood up and rushed to the door. He wanted to speak to you, wanting to know what upset you, but the snakes were persistent on seeing the two adults out. 

After that, you went back to normal. You were obedient, quiet, and stayed to yourself. You continued to talk your snakes, but you were whispering most of the time. Doctor Strange and Miss Peabody didn’t mind as long as you did what you were told - but the nurse was more wary of you than the doctor. She wondered what you were thinking as you sat in your room, reading the books that Strange brought you. You were so stoic that it was hard to tell if you had any emotions anymore. 

Then it happened. You were just reading your book, hearing the conversations the snakes were having when guards stormed your room. They grabbed the snakes, putting them in cages, and put a bag over your head. You felt them cuff you and drag you outside. You heard the other inmates grunting and yelling. 

You were pushed into what you think is a truck. Although you had a bag over your head, you were still able to see the heat signatures of those around you. There were a lot of these people. You heard a hiss next to you. Feeling relieved that your snakes were next to you, you felt a bit more relaxed. Then you waited in the truck for what seemed like half an hour.

You heard the car start. You figured that Strange and Peabody must have decided to transfer all of you somewhere new. You thought nothing of it. That was until the car crashed. You heard the door open and the bag on your head was removed. A woman with two different colored eyes - one brown, the other a bright blue- stood in front of you. Her presence was intimidating and powerful. She glanced at you for a mere second, before moving on. 

She didn’t pay much attention to you. She continued to free the others from their restraints. You went to grab the snakes out of the cage as everyone followed the woman out. As you walked out, you saw the woman staring at a man. He wore a suit and had spiky black hair. He froze in shock after seeing the woman. Then he fell.

Confused as to what exactly is happening, you stayed by the car. A part of you wanted to follow the rest, another wants to stay behind out of fear. Looking at the woman, you sensed something else about her. She held herself with dignity, but you could tell that if she does not get things done her way, she’ll do whatever she can to get it. It frightens you.

The crowd moved on, following the woman to who knows where. You stayed behind and rushed to the unconscious stranger. “Hey, mister”


	20. The Penguin

Oswald grunted as he began to wake up. His head was hurting as if he was recovering from a hangover. He stared at Butch, his peaceful stare turning into a glare as he remembered what happened. “Why am I still alive?”

“I don’t know” The other man shrugged. “But I do know who brought you”.

You were in the study, looking at all the books and knick-knacks that Oswald has. Shiba was wrapped around your shoulder while Jade and Sage were in the corner. The door slammed open, grabbing your attention. You turned around and saw the man you saved last night glaring at you. He stormed up to you. “Who are you?”

You moved your hand, stroking Shiba as if to protect her. “(y/n)”.

“Your face...” He noticed your scales. Taking a step back from you, he yelled, “You’re one of those monsters aren’t you?!” 

“Excuse me, I am not a monster”. You glared, the snakes began to hiss in defense. “I was the one who brought you to your home when you were unconscious. I could have just left you to get killed by the others.”

He stayed quiet. He glanced at Butch. Turning to look at you, he wondered about you. Who are you? Why did you help him? What happened to you? Other questions that you probably don’t have the answers to. He glanced at the snakes. 

_He is wary of you._ Sage hissed. Jade raised her body. _Should we kill him?_ Shiba hissed at the two snakes. _No, we must see if he is a friend or foe._ You listened to the snakes as you stared at the man. “I told you my name, now it’s your turn”.

“You mean to tell me you don’t know who I am?” He scuffed. “I’m the king of Gotham. I’m Oswald Cobblepot”

“I never heard of Gotham or of a king that walks like a penguin”. Oswald glared at you as you spoke. “Then again, this is the first time I’ve been out from my room”.

He continued to glare at you. Eyebrows furrowed in suspicion. You walked up to him, eager in your steps. He took a step back. Turning to the door, your eyes shined a bright yellow again. Heat signatures of men outside became visible to you. They were holding weapons. You smirked. 

“You have men out the door”. You turned to Oswald. “And more outside for protection. From what though? Thieves? Enemies? Me? I wonder...”

“What do you want?” He asked. 

“Let me help you”. You took a step forward. “I may not know much, but I know what is right and what is wrong. That woman that broke me out, she won’t last long. I was the doctor’s favorite. I know things that she most likely does not.”

“Like what?”

Taking another step, you spoke in a low voice. “I know about our abilities. I know about the so-called ‘monsters’. I spent my days in my room, listening to everything and everyone. The doctor gave me books about everything. I can tell when someone is lying. I can sense someone’s intentions just by staring at them. That’s how I knew that if I stayed with her, there’s a huge possibility of me ending up dead. But you, Mr. Cobblepot, you are are different.”

“You two seem similar, but you take extra precautions in order to get what you want. You called yourself the king of Gotham, right? Well, she’s planning on something that will and could cause you to fall from your high throne and die. And I can tell that you won’t let it come to that. That’s why you want to stop her.”

The snakes followed you as you circled around Oswald. Both him and Butch stared at you as you spoke. You seemed exotic. Your strong seductive stare captivated their full attention. You held yourself together, not wanting to show them any sign of weakness. It caused them to be even more curious about you. 

“And what do you purpose?” He spoke. You smirked. 

“Allow me to be your spy”. You explained. “I will stay with the lady’s group and report to you on what she is planning. I’ll even help protect you from any of them”

“What’s the catch here?”

“I ask for only two things”. You shrugged. “I want your protection in return. And that includes money to provide for myself and my snakes.”

Oswald glanced at your snakes, then back at you. He couldn’t help think that you’re interesting. “Done. What else?”

“I want you to help me find out who I am”. You spoke in a soft voice. His brows furrowed in confusion, glancing at Butch who was confused as well. They stared at you as you continued to speak. “I.. I don’t know who exactly am I. Shiba, here, was the one who told me what my name was. I don’t anything else. Not my family or friends…. Do you know how it feels to not even remember your own parents? I don’t even know if I was abandoned or loved by mother and father”

Oswald looked at you as a single tear fell from your eye. He may have grown up with only his mother, but when he reunited with his father he knew that he loved him. So he can not relate to you, but he knows how it feels to lose your loved ones. The snakes gathered at your feet to comfort you. You look so vulnerable and fragile. You’re a teenager but you’re just a child in Oswald’s eyes. He hates children. And he hates crying children even more. It made him feel like he needed to comfort you in some sort. 

He looked at Butch for help but neither of them knew what to do. He decided to settle on a pat on the shoulder. The snakes didn’t hiss or make a sound. It surprised you. They never trust anyone to go near you. Looking up at Oswald, you smiled and mouthed a thank you.

“You… You’re right” Oswald began, “About everything. I don’t know what it feels like to have amnesia but I lost the only people who could love me”.

“You’re parents” You stared as Oswald’s eyes sadden and he nodded. You placed your hand on his shoulder. He smiled at the sign of sympathy. 

“I agree to your deal” He looked at you. A smile formed on his lips as he took your hands into his. “And in the meantime, you can stay here for as long as you want”

“Thank you” You gave him a wide smile. “Thank you, Mr. Cobblepot”

“Please, call me Oswald” He grinned. “Friend”.

He turned to Butch, grinning. The tall man stared at the both of you. He wondered what Oswald has in store for you. He also doesn’t know whether or not to trust you. The snakes looked at you as you continued to smile at both of them. 

 

After you were shown to your room, Butch entered Oswald’s office. The man sat in his chair, looking at his deceased father’s painting. Butch remained where he stood. “She seems like a nice girl. Creeps me the hell out, but nice”

“Keep an eye on her” Oswald spoke, standing up and turning to the other man. “We still don’t know if she could be working for Fish”.

“Understood boss”.

**\-----**

The next following days went by as quick as a flash. You would wake up earlier than anyone else in the house to make breakfast, leaving a note to inform them that you have gone to Fish Mooney. You would sneak into Mooney’s hideout, not getting noticed, and spend the day with her. By night, you would wait until everyone is asleep before sneaking off again. If you were caught by any of the others, you would make up a quick lie. Most of the time it worked, other times you would knock them unconscious and drag them somewhere far from the hideout. After that, you wouldn’t hear from them for some time until you hear that they were caught and turned in to the GCPD. 

You closed the door behind you, sighing as you just barely made it back into Oswald’s home. You noticed the living room lit up. Walking in, you spotted Oswald sitting by the fireplace. He held pieces of paper in his hand. “Oswald..?”

“Where did you get these?” He asked, looking up at you. He held up the pieces of paper to your face. You grabbed them and noticed that they were the recipes you based the breakfast dishes on. “Answer me!”

You jumped. “T-The study room. They were hidden in this journal”

Oswald sighed, placing his hand on his forehead. You could tell he was lost in thought. He looked sad and angry. Placing the paper down on the coffee table, you knelt down to look at him in the eye. He felt you touch his arm, your other hand on his knee. He turned to you. You looked worried. “What is it, Oswald?”

“I-It’s nothing”. He shook your hands off, crossing his legs. You placed your hands on your lap. “It’s just… those recipes were my mother’s”.

“Oh” You knew Oswald’s mother has passed, but he rarely talks about her when you’re around. You glanced up at him. “I didn’t know… I’m sorry”

“It’s fine”. He spoke. “I didn’t even know my father had kept spares of her recipes anyway”.

Silence filled the room. Oswald still looked sadden when talking about her. You couldn’t help but want to cheer him up. So, you asked a simple question. “What was she like?”

“What?” He turned to you, eyes widen. 

“Your mother” You smiled. “What was she like? I understand if you don’t want to talk -”

“No, it’s okay”. Your smile grew slightly as he began to talk about his mother. It was the first time he looked so happy. He spoke about her as if she was his world. Well, she was his world. He did everything for her. He just wanted to make her happy. But someone just had to take her away from him. He began to cry as he remembered everything she did for him. You wrapped your arms around his neck, hugging him close. Your hands softly stroked his hair in a calming manner. “Shh, it’s okay Oswald”. You spoke. “It’s okay”.

The older man began to calm down. Your hug felt so warm like his mother’s. It made him want to cry even more. He hugged you back. The last person to make him feel safe, that was not his mother, was his father. But even he was taken from Oswald. He has only been loved by a few so it’s hard for him to accept people. So this was new to him. 

After fully calming down, the two of you released each other. Oswald stared into your eyes. You looked at him with a bit of worry, but at the same time, you looked at him with admiration. You looked up to Oswald. He was the first person who gave you a chance. If weren’t for him, you would probably be stuck with Fish and her plot to take back Gotham. That isn’t something you want to do, and you know that they would kill you for not siding with them. You’re gambling your life by siding with Oswald, but you don’t regret it one bit. 

“It’s fine if you keep those recipes”. He gave you a small smile, which you returned back.

“I’ll make sure to cook your favorite”. You stood up and began to leave. “It’s getting late, we should go to sleep”.

“I will, I just got a few things to finish”. He nodded. You bid him goodnight before leaving the room. 

 

Butch entered Oswald’s office. His boss was sitting behind his desk, looking up as he walked in. “You called me, boss”

“Where are we in (y/n)’s background check?” Oswald asked. Butch sighed and bowed his head in defeat. 

“If I’m going to be honest, not that well”. He began to explain. “There’s barely any records on her in Gotham. She isn’t from here. Why?”

“I decided that she could be trusted”. Oswald stood up. “And I also decided to take her under my wing as my apprentice”.


	21. Background Check

_After her parents died in a car crash, she moved in with her uncle - who died almost a year after. She was later sent to St. Rais Orphanage, going in an out of foster care until she was taken in by Mister Haly. (y/n) was last seen in Gotham City’s Children Gala. It’s known that she was killed after returning home. The guy that killed her is presumed to have been by one of Jerome Valeska's goons. She was known to be in a relationship with the psychotic killer._

Butch finished summarizing the paper to Oswald. It took two weeks to finally find everything about you. The file was thorough, going into every detail of your life. Butch had to pay a couple of people money to get this. After reading it, he found that it was worth it. You are ‘ _dead_ ’ after all.

Placing the file down on Oswald’s desk, the shorter man stood up. He buttoned his coat as he glanced up at the taller man. “Good work”.

“What should we do?” Butch followed Oswald out the room. “She’s supposed to be dead”

“And so is Fish” The smaller man looked at him. “This isn’t anything new by now”

“Yeah, but she doesn’t even remember that she was dead”. The taller man stopped in his steps. Oswald turned to him. “She has no memory of anything”

“I know that” Oswald sighed. “We’ll give her the file when she comes back tonight. Then she’ll make the decision of whether or not to open it”.

The two left it be and continued on with their day. Meanwhile, you were strolling through Gotham - trying to find some food. You wore a black hoodie and sunglasses as a way to hide the patches of scales that were visible on your skin. Shiba was wrapped around your neck while Jade and Sage wrapped themselves in your open bag. You smiled as you walked through the city. Sure, you were supposed to be scouting for any bounty hunters or any GCPD hotspots that were out hunting for you and the rest, but you decided to take this chance to see more of the city you came to live into. 

There were couples walking around on dates, families having lunch together, friends meeting up to hang out, children coming out of school, co-workers heading to lunch. There was even the occasional mugging here and there. It was a regular busy day in Gotham. You began to think about where you came from. Were you born here in Gotham or somewhere else? Are your parents out looking for you? Are they even alive? You want to know more about your past.

Just as you turned the corner, you were stopped by a young boy. His long dark brown hair fell slightly on his matching color eyes. He wore dark oversized worn out clothing. He stared at you, too nervous to look at you. “F-Fish is looking for you”

Groaning, you looked around for a quick escape. Spotting a convenience store, you glanced back at the boy. “You want to grab something to eat?”

He looked up at you, confusion was written all over his face. “With what money?”

“Don’t worry about it, come on” You put your arm around him and lead him across the street. After convincing the boy to just pick out whatever snack he wants, both of you stood outside the store, munching on the food you bought. The two of you made small talk to pass the time. That was until the boy blurted out something odd he found out today.

“There’s a boy that looks like me” You glanced at the boy. “I saw him as I was following this girl. Don’t get the wrong idea, she just helped me out and I wanted to thank her. That’s when I saw him. He looks exactly like me, just with shorter hair”.

“Maybe you’re his twin?” You shrugged. 

“I don’t think so..” He shook his head at your suggestion. “I don’t have any memories of my past. Everyone else has at least some fragments of who they are. All I remember is the lab”

You felt bad for him. The two of you may have woken up with no memories, but you got your dreams and Shiba. He doesn’t have anything. No name and no memories. Sighing, you reached into your pocket and took out a 20 dollar bill. You handed it to him. He looked up at you. 

“Look, I know that I can’t do anything to help you but I could at least give you this”. You explained. “In return, I’ll keep this a secret. So go find him, I won’t say anything to Fish” 

“Thank you” He took the bill from you, averting his eyes back to the ground. “I’ll make sure to repay -”

“No need” He snapped his head back up to look at you. You could tell he wanted to protest against the offer, but you didn’t let him. “If you really want to repay me, just keep what I’m doing a secret from Fish as well”

“What?” He raised a brow. The corners of your lips lifted up to form a small smile. 

“Let’s just say I made a friend who doesn’t quite see eye-to-eye with Fish” You smirked. He continued to look at you with his confused expression. Eventually, he let the matter drop as if he never heard you say it. The two of you went back to eating your snacks in silence. 

 

It was night by the time you reached the Penguin’s manor. Butch had left the living room, spotting you enter. “Oh good, you’re back”.

“Yup,” You noticed that he looked a bit nervous and excited at the same time. “Is there something wrong?” 

“No - good news actually” He gestured toward the room he just exited. You went in, Butch following you back inside, a small spark of excitement in his eyes. During the time you’ve been here, you had made an impact on the home. Before it was just a glooming place filled with criminals, but you brought some color and laughter into the house. You made it feel like a home. He’ll never admit it out loud to you but he has grown a soft spot for you.

Oswald stood in front of you, a file in his hands. You glanced at it before staring at the man. He held his hand out, holding the file out toward you. A huge grin plastered on his face, eyes gleaming with happiness as he waited for you to take it. You grabbed the file out of his hands, taking a small peek. “What is this?”

“It’s everything you ever wanted to know about yourself”. You stared at Oswald in surprise. Sitting down in a chair, you began to rummage through your file. A picture of you with your family, the car crash, your profile for the orphanage, your school records, photos of you in Haly’s Circus, a recent photo of you with a girl and guy your age in a dance studio. Tears began to fall down your cheek. Oswald sat down next to you, concerned about whether or not those were tears of joy. The moment you pulled him into a hug, his worries vanished. 

“Thank you” You cried, pulling apart to wipe your tears. “Thank you so much, Oswald”.

“For you, (y/n), this is nothing” He took your hands into his. You smiled. Seeing as this was the right time, Oswald took the opportunity to tell you a decision he made earlier in the day. “(y/n), I didn’t trust you in the beginning, but now - well, now I see you as a little sister that I never had”

“Aww, Oswald” You gave him another quick hug.”You’re the first person that I knew I could trust. You’re like a big brother to me”.

“Yes, and as you know, most siblings would do anything to protect each other”. He continued. The next part is going to hurt, but he has to do this. This is in order to keep you safe. “So I’ve come to the decision of sending you away”

“What? Why?” You released your hands from his grasp, staring at him with a concerned look. He took your hands back in his again. You noticed how scared he was right now.

“Gotham is not safe for you right now”. He explained. “While I’m rallying up people to fight with me against Fish Mooney, their anger for the monsters grow. The thing is, they don’t know you. If they notice you, see your scales or see what you can do, they will attack you until you and your snakes are dead. It also does not help that there is a reward given to each person who is able to turn in one of those monsters”.

“So, you’re saying that I have to leave Gotham?” You gazed down. “Where would I even go?”

“Don’t worry”. You glanced at Oswald. “I have a driver ready to take you anywhere, he’ll stay with you wherever you go. I’ll also be sending you money every month. And if you don’t know where to go, try going to any of the places that are in your file. When you feel like you’ve finally regained your memory, you could travel around the world if you want to”.

“Would I have to be gone forever?” You asked. Oswald’s gaze softens. Hesitant, he pulled you into a hug. Your head rested on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around you.

“Of course not” He spoke in a softer tone. “Once it is safe, I will tell you. When that day comes, I hope I will get to see you again”.

“You will” You stared at him. “By then I would have missed my big brother so much. I would need to see you again to make sure you’re alright”.

The two of you shared a nice laugh. You turned to Butch, who was wiping his tears with his handkerchief. You smiled. Offering your hand, he took it and the three of you hugged. That night was celebrated by a luxurious dinner that you cooked. Butch had put a record on, playing classical music. Oswald had made jokes about Butch here and there, making you laugh and Butch embarrassed. You danced with both men, a huge smile never leaving your lips. The three of you shared a beautiful last night together. 

The following morning was spent shedding a few tears. You hugged the servants, thanking them and wishing them the best of luck. Butch was crying when you hugged him. He lifted you off the ground, surprising you, as the two of you shared your goodbyes. Oswald was putting a brave face, but you saw right through it. He finally shed a few tears when you hugged him. You thanked him for everything and made him promise to have a room ready for you to return. He smiled as he agreed. 

You got in the car, waving one last goodbye to the family you came to love. Oswald saw you off with a brave face while Butch continued to wipe his tears. You let out a sigh as you drove off. The snakes laid in your lap as a form of comfort.

Goodbye Indian Hill

Goodbye Fish

Goodbye Butch

Goodbye Oswald

Goodbye Gotham.


	22. Searching For Home

A month. That’s how long you were gone for. Within that month you experienced many encounters and situations. You met many people - both nice and rude - and saw many sights. Oswald kept his promise on sending money. You had thought he’ll send money once per month, but he sent it per week along with a letter. 

The first place you had gone to was your childhood home. The home where your parents lived. You thought that just by seeing it, it could bring back some memories. But it didn’t. How could it? It changed so much throughout the years. Any memories you had there are gone. It all looked foreign to you. Looking at a photo of your parents, you raised the photograph to where it was taken around the house. Nothing. You couldn’t even shed a single tear. 

_This is no longer your home_. You heard Shiba say. Taking in a deep breath, you looked at the house one last time. Turning around, you walked back to the car, the driver had the door opened for you. In your heart, you know Shiba is right. 

 

After that, you went to your uncle’s home. It was an abandoned home, run down, due to no one wanting to buy it. You entered it. Unlike your parents’ home, this place brought back memories. Your head started to ache as you walked around the living room. The smell of beer filled your nose. You remember a man yelling at you, calling you worthless. As you walked down to the basement, you heard the distant sound of your younger self crying. There were empty cages around you. The sound of exotic reptiles rang in your head as you walked toward a gigantic empty cage. Your brows furrowed as you looked at it. Snakes hissing. 

You remember now. Your uncle used to lock you in here when you disobeyed him. The snakes scared you, you cried for your mother and father. You jumped when you heard your snakes hissing. _Are you okay?_ Shiba hissed. 

“I’m fine” You spoke, turning to go back upstairs. When you got to your driver, you didn’t bother to look back at the house. “Get someone to burn this place down to the ground”

“Yes, ma’am” He bowed.

 

The last place you went to was St. Rais Orphanage. That place sent you weird vibes. It was a small old gothic style cathedral in the middle of nowhere. When you had knocked, the nun that answered you cried and told you to go home. “This place was never good to you, my child” She cried. “Trust me when I say, go home. By the looks of it, the headmaster will have your head if he saw your face”

You wanted to ask her what she meant, but she had closed the door on you. The snakes had told you to forget about it and move on. You couldn’t. There was something more to that orphanage and you needed to know what it was. Back at your motel room, you researched everything about the place. Anger grew inside you as you read about mental and physical abuse, neglect, torture, experiments, and worst of all the headmaster. For an orphanage to take the name after a saint, you would have thought the headmaster and nuns would have showered the children with love. Instead, they played favorites. The children that they favored received nothing but gifts, while the others received the worst of it. The headmaster would take any child that disobeyed to the basement and they were never seen again. 

Not able to stay put, you went back to the orphanage with your snakes in the middle of the night. You snuck in, sending Sage to find the children and Jade to find the nuns’ chambers. Meanwhile, you went to find the headmaster. _There are about five children sleeping soundly on the second floor, ten sleeping on the church floor, three are in the basement_. Sage slithered back to your side. _The nuns are on the first floor, sleeping in a room near the children_. You glanced at Jade as she came to you. Shiba hissed. The headmaster’s chamber is the room at the end of the hall on the second floor. But if three are in the basement…

You turned your direction from the stairs to the basement. Sage and Jade led the way while Shiba stayed wrapped around your neck. Your footsteps were silent. The only sounds you could hear were the snores of the children and nuns. As you reached the basement, you heard crying and a man talking. Your eyes shined yellow. 

The headmaster’s back was toward you while three children, two boys, and a girl, were strapped to surgery tables. To the left was a table filled with surgeon tools and weapons, and to the right were empty cells. The only light was coming from the lightbulb that hung in the middle of the room. The children noticed your bright yellow eyes. Their eyes widen in fear but they couldn’t scream. The headmaster had strapped their mouths shut. When you stepped into the light, you placed a finger to your mouth, signaling for them to stay quiet. Jade and Sage slithered into the man’s legs, grabbing his attention. 

“What the-” He turned his head, noticing you. You watched as his eyes widen in fear. Shiba jumped at him, biting his neck. Sage and Jade did the same on his legs. He grunted in pain, falling to the ground, hand reaching out to you for help. Shiba isn’t a venomous snake like Sage and Jade but her bite is just as deadly. She wrapped her body around his neck, choking him, as the other two snakes bit their venom into the man’s bloodstream. You watched him slowly die. 

When that was over, you went to the children and carried them back upstairs. They woke up the other children and they all surrounded you. They called you their savor. The nuns had woken up due to the noise. They started to pray as they saw your yellow eyes shine in the dark. You knelt down to face the little girl from the basement. “Did the nuns hurt you?”

She nodded, pointing at the nun that hurt her the most. The other children followed suit. They all pointed at every nun except at the one that you met earlier in the day. The snakes began to hiss. “Got it”.

The following day, you watched the orphanage from a distance. The children surrounded the kind nun, hugging her, as the ambulance and police went through the cathedral. The ambulance brought out the dead bodies of the nuns and headmaster. The police were getting statements from the nun. She noticed you from the corner of her eyes, but just as she turned her head your direction, you vanished. 

 

You weren’t even able to go to the circus after that because Oswald had called you. You sat in your hotel room, coming back from a shopping spree. You needed new outfits to disguise yourself. In Oswald’s recent letter, he had told you about how Hugo Strange and Fish Mooney left Gotham. He even mentioned how if you continue to use your abilities, you’ll begin to die. But how can you stop hearing snakes? You can’t abandon the three snakes you came to care for.

“Oswald!” You smiled as you answered the phone. 

“My dear (y/n), how have you been?” You could practically hear him smile.

“Great” You sat down on your bed. “I could go on about all of my adventures, but why the sudden call? Is it time for me to go back?”

“Yes. I have just been announced as the new mayor of Gotham and I want you to come work for me”

“That’s amazing!” You stood up. “Wait, but what about me being - you know - part snake?”

“Don’t worry. I have something in mind” 

“Well, alright then” You grinned. “I’ll see you soon”

Once the phone call ended, you told your snakes and drivers. Within a day, you were all packed and headed toward the direction of Gotham City. You can’t wait to see Oswald and Butch again. After searching for your memories, you had come to the realization that none of the places felt like home. Gotham is your home now. Not some other city. There’s no point in visiting another place in your file. You belong in Gotham.


	23. Welcome to Serpentine's

Oswald walked downstairs, a hop in his step. After a month, you were finally returning to his side. Both of you had so much to talk about. Ed noticed Oswald’s mood as he entered the living room. The former forensic cop never took notice of Oswald’s strange behavior around him and his new girlfriend, but he does notice when the criminal mayor is in a good mood. Oswald checked himself in the mirror, fixing his tie. Ed stood behind him. “Today is a good day, Ed”

“And why is that?” Ed asked as the shorter man turned to him, a bright grin on his lips.

“Because today my dear sister comes home” Oswald walks toward the coffee table. Olga placed a platter of your favorite snacks and some tea. The man wants to make sure everything is perfect for your return. He glared at the maid when he noticed that the centerpiece was the wrong color. “What is this? She likes (f/c), not this ugly mixture. Go change it.”

“I didn’t know you had a sister” Ed stared at the maid as she left. He turned back to Oswald who was fixing the position of a flower vase. 

“She’s not actually my sister” Oswald turned at the sound of a car honk. He smiled. “We see each other as family though”

The two of them waited, Oswald fixed his suit real quick, as the maid went to open the door. Your driver entered first, placing your bags down, you followed behind him. The sound of your low heels clicked on the floor. Looking around, you took a deep breath. This is your home. You turned to see Oswald. Both of you grinned. He held his arms open. “Welcome home”

“Oswald” You ran into his arms, hugging him tightly. He placed a small kiss on your head, you breathed in his scent. He smelled of a nice cool day at the ocean. You loved it. The two of you were in your own little world, not noticing a frozen Ed. His eyes widen the moment he saw you walk in. He couldn’t believe it was you. You’re alive.

“(y/n), I want you to meet my chief of staff and dear friend, Edward Nygma” Oswald released from the hug and gestured toward the taller man. You smiled and held out your hand. 

“It’s nice to meet you. I heard a lot about you”. Your (e/c) eyes shone a bright yellow for a quick second. Ed’s eyes widen even more as he remembered seeing those eyes at Indian Hill. He glanced at your scales, then at Oswald, before taking your hand for a quick shake.

“I wish I could say the same about you”. He forced a smile. You turned back to Oswald. 

“Well, let me just put my stuff up in my room” You gestured at the amount of bags you had. “I’ll be back down real quick”

Oswald watched you as you began to help the driver and maid with your luggage. You were always the type to help people. Ed stared at Oswald’s bright grin. The look Oswald had in his eyes is the same look Oswald has when talking to Ed. This is the first he’d seen it targeted toward someone else. When you disappeared upstairs, Ed grabbed Oswald’s attention. 

“Oswald,” The shorter man turned to him, “You do know who that is, right? That’s (y/n) (l/n)”

“You know her?” Oswald sat down, grabbing a snack from the platter.

“Do I know her? I was there when they locked up her psycho boyfriend” Ed spoke between his teeth. “She’s also one of the monsters that Hugo Strange created. If you are seen with her, the people will-”

“Calm down, Ed” Oswald looked at him. “I have a plan”

“And what plan is that?” Ed stared at Oswald with suspicion. 

“You’ll see tomorrow night” Oswald turned when he saw you walk up to them. You sat down, smiling at all of the snacks. 

Ed watched as the two of you settle yourself in a conversation. You told Ed how you managed to meet Oswald and how thankful you are for everything he has done. Oswald spoke about recent events in Gotham, you would laugh every once in a while. He watched as your snakes slithered around you. He looked into your eyes, watching if they’ll change from (e/c) to the bright yellow color. The snakes hissed, grabbing his attention. He stared into their eyes until he noticed you glancing at him. Could you tell that he was cautious of you?

 

The following day, Oswald took you to a building you’ve never seen before. You got out of the car, Ed and Oswald following you along with the three snakes. Entering the building, your eyes widen at the sight of thousands of snakes in cages. Workers were busy taking down the former decor and redecorating it to your liking. You turned to Oswald. “What is this?”

“This was the very first club I came to own” Oswald gestured toward everything, smiling. “Now, it’s yours”

“Oswald…” You stared at him. Ed watched you run to Oswald’s arms, thanking him. The two of you went off to continue looking around, telling the workers where to place things, meeting the other snakes. Everything had to be perfect for tonight. After all, Oswald is going to introduce you to the entirety of Gotham City. 

 

You watched as people began to fill the club. People were cautious of the free snakes that roamed around. There were snake dancers and charmers on stage, captivating the audience’s attention. You watched the snake dancers carefully. Something about the way they move felt familiar. You know that you were in the circus but you never had the chance to fully read that part of your file. You left even before you could visit the circus you were in. It felt like a part of you was missing. 

You turned your attention to the audience. Gotham’s most elite and the press were present, the rest were people who Oswald personally invited. You noticed Oswald talking to a group of people, a blonde woman and a few men who you didn’t recognize. You knew that Butch is on the run for betraying Oswald, but you wished that he could see you now. He was like another brother to you. You noticed how Ed was busy looking around instead of conversing with the group, sensing how cautious he was of you. The snakes don’t trust him but you’re willing to give him a chance. 

Your attention was then grabbed by a girl who walked around, pickpocketing people. Her curly hair was styled into a bun, and she’s dressed in fancy jewelry and a black glittering dress. A smile instantly formed on your lips as you watched her. Even if she was robbing people, you couldn’t help but feel happy to see her. Do you know her? She looks familiar.

_It’s time_. You stared at Shiba. Turning to the stage, the music stops as you watched Oswald grab the audience’s attention. He smiled. “Citizens of Gotham, you have all been waiting for me to introduce you to the new owner of this place. Now as you know, before I ran for mayor, I helped rid this city of the monsters Hugo Strange created. I didn’t hide my hatred for them. I didn’t show them any fear. But, what you didn’t know, was that I had help. The person who helped me brought love into my home. She became someone dear to me. She became my sister. This club is simply one of many more gifts to come”.

The audience clapped. It was time for you to go out. Oswald glanced your way before continuing. “Before she comes out, I just want to say something. My sister, well, she’s one of the few experiments Strange created”. The audience gasped. “But she has no special power, she can’t kill you. The only thing that makes her a monster is the patches of scales on her skin. Other than that, she’s just like you and me. She won’t cause any harm to anyone. So, without further adieu, please welcome - my sister, (y/n)”

You walked up on stage, spotlights on you, everyone staring at your direction. Shiba wrapped herself around your shoulder as Sage and Jade followed you. You smiled at Oswald, giving him a hug. He handed the microphone to you. Turning to the audience, you took a breath, gather your thoughts, and smiled. Murmurs began the moment people looked at you.

“First, if you already know who I am, you should know that I don’t”. You began. “The moment I woke up, I only remembered a few things about me. My love for snakes and circus music. Then I met Oswald. Unlike the rest of the experiments who followed Fish Mooney, I went to him. I knew that if I followed her and showed signs of reluctance, I would be killed. I’m not one for violence, really… so I helped Oswald. I spied on the group and reported everything back to him, and he used that information to lead you all to kill them. But I wasn’t there when the riot happened. I was sent away for safety. Oswald had given me a file of who I was, and I went around to see if I could remember anything. Unfortunately, I only remembered the abuse my uncle caused me”

The audience listened to you attentively. “But while I was off searching, I encountered something horrible. Children, from the orphanage I was in, were being tortured by the very own people who claimed that loved them. I won’t get into the details, but now they refer to me as their savior. That day, I swore to myself I will protect those who need a home. Gotham became my home and I wish to make it better. This club, will not be like any other club you see in this city. In the morning, it will run as a regular restaurant and shelter for runaway children. I will give them jobs, food, water, anything they need. I won’t ask for anything in return from them. Then at night, the children sleep and the night club begins. Of course, it will be a 17 and up club but other than that, what you see here will be a safe place for the children who live in the streets”.

You watched as the audience’s gaze began to soften. Smiling, you said, “The things you know about me - the things that I don’t know - keep it yourself. I wish to move on from that life. From now on, I’m (y/n) (l/n)-Cobblepot, sister to Mayor Oswald Cobblepot, and welcome to Serpentine's”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter of filler then Jerome comes back :)


	24. The Red Haired Boy

Since the grand opening of Serpentine’s, you have kept your promise of giving shelter to runaway children. You expected all of the negative response to your appearance, but it surprised you when you see some people supporting you. Once in awhile the press would corner you and ask questions, which you would respond or reject them politely. Slowly, you won over Gotham’s favor. The people began to trust and adore you. They respected your wish of not wanting to know your former self. But there would occasionally be people who would whisper about you. Shiba told you to ignore them. 

At the club, children and young teens would come to you for shelter and work. You employed those who were old enough for the restaurant, care for the younger children, teach them how to care and handle the snakes. The restaurant/club is set downstairs, while upstairs were the rooms where the children stayed in. Your office, being stationed downstairs, acted as the snakes’ nest. Eventually, you moved into the building as well. Oswald was hesitant on you leaving but agreed when he saw how persistent you were being. 

“(y/n)?” You turned to look at the curly haired girl from the grand opening. Unlike that day, where she wore expensive clothing, she was wearing dark leather clothing. You were just about to open for the day when she came up to you.

“How can I help you?” You smiled. The girl stared at the younger children who were gathering the snakes. She glanced back at you. Sensing how the girl felt uncomfortable, you led her to a chair at the bar, telling a young man you hired to give her a soft drink. “What’s your name?”

“Selina Kyle” She took a sip from her soda, her green eyes staring at you. “We met before. I’m your friend.”

“Really?” Your smile faltered for a second. A part of you already knew that from first the moment you saw her. “Well, Selina, did you come here looking for work? Or just a place to stay?”

“What? No. I’m doing fine on my own” Her eyes glanced to the side before landing back at you. “Look, I know you said not to tell you anything about your past, but I’m here because I’m worried about you. I saw you the day you died and -”

“Ah, yes, I remember seeing that in my file”. You got up from your stool. Turning back to her, your hands gestured toward everything. “I understand that you're worried, but as you can see, I’m doing perfectly fine. Now, I would like if you - a dear friend of mine - would not mention anything about my past. If you have nothing else to tell me, then I’ll just be -”

“Can I at least tell you one thing?” She interrupted. Her brows furrowed as her eyes pleaded for you to listen. Selina knows that you don’t want anything to do with your past self, but before she leaves, she just wants to make sure you’ll be safe on your own. Even if you have all this power now, even if you have the mayor and the king of Gotham’s underworld on your side, you need to be careful. Taking a deep breath, you nodded. “Don’t go dating any guys”

A small laugh escaped your lips. You, an eighteen-year-old, are being told not to date by a girl who is younger than you. She probably hasn’t had her first boyfriend yet. Looking at the girl in front of you, you let out another laugh, glancing around before staring at her again with your hands on your hips. “And why is that?”

“Because the last guy you dated caused your death”. Your smile turned into a frown, hands falling to your side, once she spoke. Shiba hissed. _Get that girl to leave_. You glanced at the snake wrapped around your shoulders. Selina tapped the bar as she got up. “But if you don’t want to listen to me, don’t say I didn’t warn you”.

You stared at her as she left the building. Closing your eyes, the memory of a red-haired boy smiling at you appeared again. Could he have been your boyfriend? Shiba watched you as you shook the thought away and went back to work. The slithering reptile has been doing her best to make you forget, but it seems as if you’re going to dig up those painful memories. Would you even handle that heartbreak again? 

 

Moving on from that day, you continued to work as if nothing had happened. The business was doing great and from time to time you would visit Oswald at his mansion. You watched the way he stared at Ed. Smiling, you placed your cup of tea down on the coffee table. “You love him don’t you?”

“What?” Oswald almost choked on his tea. He began to stammer over his words, but it didn’t matter. The flustered look he had gave you the answer you needed. You placed your hand on him, a bright grin forming. 

“It’s okay, Ozzie” You watched him relax under your touch. “I think it’s great that you found someone you love. And plus, I think you two would look great together”.

“I think so too”. He smiled. But that soon vanished when he remembered that Ed was seeing someone. “Too bad that Isabelle is in the way”.

“I'm sure her name is Isabella, but don’t worry, Oswald,” You grabbed your tea, taking a sip. “I’m sure it’ll come to an end. After all, you said that she resembles his late ex. Imagine the heartbreak he’s going through without even realizing it. And once he does, he’ll find comfort from you first”.

A smile slowly began to form on Oswald’s lips. “I suppose you’re right”

 

When you got back to your office, you began to work on all the paperwork that was stacked on your desk. The snakes welcomed you back, Shiba, Sage, and Jade staying close to your side. Hours passed spent with you working diligently on the papers, only taking a few breaks here and there, but while working, your mind kept wandering off. You kept thinking about what Selina had told you. Sighing, you finished the last of your cup of wine and grabbed your file out of your desk drawer. You stared at the pictures and newspaper articles. 

_“(y/n)”_ A boy’s voice ranged through your head. It sounded endearing. Closing your eyes, you focused on that suppressed memory. 

_The distant sound of circus music played in the background, followed by the sound of the audience cheering. You saw flashes of yourself in the circus ring, the spotlight blinding you, Shiba wrapped around an older woman. The memory vanished and you found yourself in a trailer. The smell of your favorite food filled your senses. The ginger-haired boy’s back faced toward you. He whistled to the song that played on your record player. You heard yourself laugh as you saw a vision of yourself run to hug him._

_“Good morning, J” You watched yourself smile and place a kiss on his cheek._

_“‘Morning, doll” He cracked a smile._

_The memory once again vanished. You were walking in one of the halls in the GCPD. Two detectives trailed behind you. The feeling of sadness and anger resonated through you. You could hear the boy screaming_. _**You’re making a mistake. Don’t go, (y/n). Come back! (Y/N)!**_

_Now you were in an apartment. The sound of gunshots. Two bodies hitting the floor. A loud cry escaped your lips. Tears fell from your eyes. A bedroom. The warm scent of amber. The feeling of passionate love. A ballroom. The sound of people having fun and dining turned to them screaming and crying for help. You heard the sound of your voice crying and begging. The hallway of an apartment building. A gunshot._

_(y/n)!_ You snapped your eyes opened. Shiba was on your desk, her eyes directly staring into yours. Her body covered the pictures and articles you planned on reading. _I thought we talked about this. Do not worry about what’s in the past. Focus on the work you’re doing now_.

“Why?” Your voice was quiet. “What’s the harm?”

_You saw snippets just now, didn’t you?_ The female snake hissed. _The feeling of happiness turning to heartbreak, how did it feel? You already went through those emotions once. I don’t want to see you go through it a second time. Like I said when you woke up in Indian Hill, this is your new beginning. Don’t go searching for something that will only cause you pain_. 

Shiba slithered off your desk and onto your shoulder. She rubbed her head against your cheek. Staring at the file in front you, you closed it and placed it back in its drawer. You continued to work for the rest of the night. 

Days passed and you heard what Oswald planned on doing to Isabella. That night, when she died, you confronted him. It was your first fight. You may have told Oswald how if she was gone, Ed would go to him, but you didn’t mean it as to kill Isabella. She was an innocent human being. She didn’t deserve to die. But Oswald didn’t see it that way.

Oswald’s henchmen could tell that the fight was serious. The two of you said things you didn’t mean but knew where true. He mentioned how you shouldn’t complain since he was the one that gave you everything and how you would be nothing without him. You mentioned that Oswald’s mother must have died because of how he was getting himself in trouble with other criminals, and Ed would eventually leave him for this. In the end, you stormed out of the mansion.

You went on with your life. A part of you wanted to apologize to Oswald, but as you watched him continue his ways, you never brought yourself to do it. You continued with your business. It wasn’t until Oswald came to you, telling you that he messed things up with Ed, that the two of you made up. Turns out that Ed wants to be partners with Oswald, but he thought that the taller man wanted to be lovers. You comforted him and gave him advice.

The following night, two women came into the club. One was blonde while the other had a cast wrapped around her right hand. The children were asleep and the club was just closing. The snakes hissed as they watched the two come in. _Danger_. You smiled at them. “What can I do for you ladies?”

“I’ll have a martini and… I don’t know. How about your brains scattered across the bar?” The blonde one pulled out a gun, pointing it directly at you. The snakes hissed and rushed to your side. You continued to smile as Sage and Jade stood in front of their legs. 

“Careful now,” You glanced at the venomous snakes then at them, your eyes shining yellow. “I wouldn’t want to get bitten by those two. They’re black mambas”

“You seriously think some stupid snakes would be faster than a gun” The other woman arched a brow. 

“No, but they do carry the deadliest venom and are quite fast” You walked behind the bar and began to prepare a martini. “They’re the world’s deadliest snakes, you know. Oh, and those two haven’t quite eaten their dinner yet”

You pointed to a giant python and anaconda that were circling around the bar. They usually stay in your office but the moment they heard danger, they came out. The two women glanced at each other. You slid the martini toward the blonde. “Now, mind telling me what this about?”

“It’s about Penguin” The three of you turned to Butch. 

“Butch” You gave him a small smile. He walked toward the two women. “Let me guess, you want to kill what Oswald loves and that's me. Do you think you could do that, Butch?”

“I don’t want to see you dead, (y/n)” He stared at you like he had no choice. You laughed. It wasn’t the type of laugh Butch had heard. It was a bit hysterical. 

“I could say the same thing about you too” You maneuvered your wrist, a razor string coming out of your cuff, wrapping around the gun. You pulled it towards you, smiling as you caught the gun with your other hand. The black mambas wrapped themselves around the two women’s legs, mouths opened wide, fangs ready to sink into their skin. The other snakes closing in on them. 

“I thought you weren’t one for violence” The blonde spoke, glancing at the black mamba that was tightening his grasp on her leg. 

“A girl has to protect herself, no?” You pointed the gun at her, taking out another gun from under the counter and pointed it toward the other woman. A few of the older children heard the commotion and came down to check on you. They pulled out pocket knives when they saw what was happening. You glanced at them then back at your three guests. “New recruits.” You smiled. “Now, if I see your faces around here again, I won’t hesitate to shoot you. So, let’s pretend none of this ever happened. Deal?”

They glanced at each other. “Deal”.

The snakes let go of them. The three of them stared at you as they left. You let out a sigh. Shiba stroked your cheek with her head. The older children ran to check up on you. You thanked them and told them to go back upstairs. _Next time, kill them_. Sage hissed. “Duly noted”.

After that, no other incident had happened around you. You were living a peaceful life. You never involved yourself with Oswald’s crimes or what was happening around him. He even mentioned how he didn’t want you to be involved, and to be frank, you busied yourself with your work. The snakes noticed how you were being watched, and you sensed it too, but none of your stalkers ever did anything so you didn’t bother confronting them either. That was until you saw a man on the t.v. He spoke with a voice modifier, but what was creepy was that he had someone else’s face on his own. It was a face familiar to you. You’ve seen it before. As you watched him speak, fear began to rise within you. It wasn’t until he spoke his name that it completely took over you. It was his face that he was wearing. It was Jerome’s. Shiba watched your reaction. She heard you mumble the boy’s nickname. “J…”


	25. Jerome's Cult

The moment the man finished his speech, you felt someone grab hold of your arms. _Danger!_ Turning around, the new recruits were holding your arms tight. You managed to move your arm up and elbow the boy on your left. He let go and you punched the girl on your right in the nose. The rings you wore scraped her face. You saw more of the young teens rush to you. Reaching behind your back, you grabbed the gun that was hidden beneath your jacket. You aimed and shot at them. 

Customers rushed out as the snakes began to attack. The older children that weren’t attacking you grabbed the younger ones and led them outside for safety. Your hired workers, the ones Oswald had sent to protect you, began to shoot as well. You had ordered your bodyguards to protect the children instead.

Everything was chaotic. One minute you were enjoying the day, about to go upstairs to check up on the children. The next, you were remembering the boy in your dreams and was being attacked by his cult followers. Everything was going by so fast. Then it stopped. 

An older boy, the one that you elbowed, held the youngest of the children in a choke hold. A gun was pointed to the little boy’s head. Tears fell from the child’s eyes. The other cult members. that were still able to move, got up and stood behind their fellow member. Your men had their guns pointed at them, snakes hissing and snapping at them. They waited on your word.

“What do you want?” You glared at cult followers. They flinched once they saw your eyes turned yellow.

“You’re the prophet’s lover, which means you’re our queen”. The older boy, Will, spoke. His gun still on the younger’s head. A small wide smile appearing on Will’s face. “We just want to take you to him”

You didn’t say anything. _He speaks of Jerome_. Shiba hissed. _Kill them_. Before you could give the order, your eyes landed on the t.v. You felt your heart drop to your stomach. The others turned to watch as well. The crazed teenagers laughed, loosening their grip on the little boy. He took the chance to run outside. You sent one guard and a snake with him. Your eyes still on the screen. 

“Am I live? Am I on air? Can you hear me? Ah, screw it. Let's do it”. You watched Jerome on the screen. He had stapled his face back on. He wore a police uniform, a man sat tied to a chair behind him. The man was connected to explosives. Your brows knitted together, eyes squinting as you watched him. More hazy memories of Jerome filled your mind. “Hi. Some of you may know, I died. But take it from me, death is dull but coming back that is something. Leave it to dying to give you a whole new perspective on life. And I would like to share that with you”.

Jerome walked toward the man in the chair. “Uh, Officer, you look terrible. Hey, you got oh.” He took out a lighter from behind the man's ear. Jerome then walked back toward the camera. “Tonight, Gotham, in the darkness, there are no rules.” He played with the lighter. “So, tonight, Gotham do what you want. Kill who you want. Hmm? And when morning comes you, too, shall be reborn”. He placed the lighter on the match, laughing as he walked away. He had stopped to say something to the man. “Oh, and, uh - Dwight. I don't forgive you for my face”.

As you heard his laugh, a single tear escaped your eye. You turned back to the laughing teens. “Kill them”.

You walked away, exiting the building. The sound of gunshots and snakes hissing could be heard in the background. The children were waiting for you, the bodyguards formed a circle around them. The youngest boy was holding the snake as comfort. You knelt down in front of him. Wiping away his tears, you stroked his hair and hugged him. Looking at the other children, you stood up, holding the boy in your arms. You all watched the lights turn off in the neighborhood and the surrounding area. The guards that were inside, came outside while the snakes stayed indoors. The children huddled together in fear. 

“Everything is going to be okay”. You reassured. Turning to the guards, you spoke. “Grab the cars, take them to the warehouse down by the shipping docks. Stay there until morning. Hopefully, by then this whole nightmare would end”.

“What about you?” The oldest girl spoke as you gave the boy to her. 

“I’ll be fine”. You stroked her hair. “The guards and snakes will be with you. I taught you all how to protect yourselves. If anything happens, you’ll be okay. Now go”.

The children followed the guards to the back of the building. The snakes had already begun to go into their cages. Everyone moved fast. _We’ll stay with you_. Shiba slithered toward you, Sage and Jade to her side. You gave them a small smile. “You must go with them. Otherwise, they’ll use you as my weakness. I must keep you safe”.You picked them up and placed them in their cages. “Protect them, okay”. 

People had already begun to riot and cause mayhem. Down the street, a group of older teens spotted you. They wore punk rock clothing and face paint. You began to walk the other direction. They followed. Once you turned the corner, you were stopped by a white van. More of Jerome’s followers stepped out. You glared at them. There’s too many of them. You can’t possibly take them on yourself. 

But you had to try.

Flicking your arms, razor strings came out of your cuffs. You smiled at them. “So, who wants to dance?”

Just then, another van appeared. It was a Channel 9 news van. The driver stepped out, catching the full attention of the crazed people that surrounded you. A gasp escaped your lips. The man slowly walked toward you. The creepy smile on his stapled-on face brought back a few memories. He laughed. 

“Well, what did they do to my beautiful dollface?” Jerome stood in front of you, gesturing at your scales. He noticed the confused expression you had. “What? Don’t you recognize me?”

“To be fair, I’m just getting my memories of you back”. You mocked a smile. It was his turn to be confused. “Apparently, after you were killed, someone put a bullet through me. I came back about two months ago with no memories. Today is the first time I’ve been able to see your face clearly”.

“Well, wouldn’t that just make us the zombie couple?” He was going to wrap his arm around your shoulder. You took a step back. He glared and pulled you closer to him. His grip on your arm tightens. You glared back at him. He noticed the razor strings. “I see death has changed you too”.

He pushed you into the group. They held you by the arms. You moved your arms inward, the razor strings whipping behind you and slicing your holders’ necks. Jerome’s eyes widen, his creepy smile growing wider. “I like this new you”

“Don’t think you know me” Your eyes shone yellow as you walked closer to him. He eyed you as you walked toward the van, flicking your wrists, retracting the razor strings. “If you wanted me to follow you, just ask”.

“That’s my girl” Jerome patted one of his followers’ on the back. He got in the van, shutting the door as the driver began the car. You sat down with your legs crossed, hands on your knees, holding your head high, your eyes watching Jerome’s every move. He moved to sit in front of you. If he hadn’t shown up, you would have been trying to stop any crazed maniac in your street. You turned your attention to the front of the van. The driver had not been stopping at all, running over anyone in his way. You had glanced back at Jerome when you heard him sit next to you. He leaned close to you, sniffing your hair. It's been so long since he last took in your scent. You leaned away from him.

“Mind telling me where we’re going?” You arched a brow as he began to change into a white long sleeved shirt.

“Just going to run a quick errand”. He turned to you as he started to take off his pants and put on a pair of matching pants. 

“And you need me because…?” You swayed your head to the side. 

“No reason”. He then started to put on a white harness. “We’re lovers. That should be a good enough reason”.

“Wow”. You raised your brows. “Didn't know you were such a romantic. Do you honestly think that I would still see someone like you after this?"

“Now don’t go ruining what we have here” He leaned close to you, a knife in his hand. “I still could kill you”.

You smirked. “You wouldn’t do that”.

“And why is that?” He waved his knife around.

“Because you want me to be the Bonnie to your Clyde” Your smirk grew as he leaned himself back, crossing your arms. “And now that I’ve, well, changed, you expect me to go back to you. You expect me to be your murderous lover. Am I right?”

The two of you stayed in silence, Jerome eyeing you. The van stopped, grabbing both of your attention. The ginger boy retracted his knife and opened the door. He held out his hand for you, smiling. “Shall we malady?”

You didn’t say anything. You just took his hand and got down from the vehicle. Looking up, you were taken back from the large mansion in front of you. Wayne Manor. Feeling the back of your head hurting, you closed your eyes as more memories came to you. A large bedroom. Hallways filled with expensive decor. The sound of a younger boy training early in the morning. The smell of a delicious meal you’ve never tasted. You’ve been here before. 

Jerome and his minions walked ahead, being careful to not make a noise. Taking a deep breath, you followed. You entered a study room, the sound of two people conversing slowly became clear the more you got closer to it. Then the phone was ringing. 

“Who’s calling at this hour?” You heard a British man ask. His voice sounds familiar. 

“Alfred?”

“Shh” The moment the man had shushed the other voice, Jerome began to laugh. One of his minions had hit the British man in the head. A boy turned to look at Jerome. Bruce Wayne. Gotham’s billionaire prince. What does Jerome want with him? Another memory. _Kill the butler. No!_ You took another deep breath. He wants to kill him. 

“Ooh! My, my”. Jerome walked closer to Bruce, leaning in. “Hmm. Look how big you've gotten”

The others began to trash room. A few of them watched Bruce and his butler Alfred. The two of them noticed you. You weren’t doing anything. You just stood there. Jerome wrapped an arm around you, gesturing to your former friends. “Say, (y/n), do you remember these two handsome gentlemen?”

“I do”. You glanced at the ginger-haired boy, before staring back at the two hostages. A small smile formed on your lips. Jerome noticed, frowning. How come you remembered them but not him? You have more memories with him than them. What's so special about those two that made you remember them instead of him? “They’re my friends”

“(y/n)...” Bruce gave you a sad smile. 

“Hi, Bruce” You greeted, glancing at Alfred. “Alfred. It’s nice to see you again”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah” Jerome pushed you toward the young billionaire boy. “I’ll let you do a bit of catching up, but make it quick”.

He went on to cause a mess with his followers. You heard him order some of them around to go look for some valuable objects. You glanced at Bruce. “I’m sorry this happening. I didn’t know he was going to come here”.

“It’s alright” Bruce glanced at the psychotic killer, staring back at you. “I know that you lost most of your memories. It’s not your fault”.

The two of you remained in silence. You were both staring at Jerome. Glancing at Bruce, you felt bad. You know you could do something about this. The three of you could take out most of his followers. But you’re not willing to risk it. You’re letting Jerome cause a mess to Bruce’s home. You’re letting him have the chance to kill your friend. Why aren’t you going to do anything about it? Bruce and Alfred are your friends. Jerome is the enemy. Fight. Kill him. Do something. Your nails dug into your skin as you formed tight fists. Biting the inside of your cheek, you glared at Jerome. Why is your heart telling you to keep the crazed maniac alive?


	26. We Must Have an Audience

“Are you okay?” Bruce turned to look at Alfred. The butler was sitting on the ground, one of Jerome’s goons holding a gun to him.

“I’ll be fine, Master Bruce” Alfred reassured. “I’ll be fine”.

“Nice place you got here”. Jerome turned to the three of you. He was standing in front of the fireplace. He gestured for you to come to him. You crossed your arms as you walked toward him. He wrapped an arm around your waist. “I've been thinking of getting a place for me and my doll, here. You rent?”

“What do you want?” Bruce asked as someone broke another valuable antique he owns. Jerome was taking in your scent once again. Oh, how he loved the way you smell. He never wanted to forget it. It comforted him. Reassured him of who he was. He’s the son of a snake dancer and fortune teller turned killer. He’s your Jerome. 

“Attitude”. Jerome turned to the younger boy, glancing at Alfred. “Teenagers. Am I right?” You watched him as he wrapped his arms around himself, swaying side to side. “Oh, I remember those days. So many exciting emotions floating through you. Wanting to kill everyone you saw. Aw.”

“Give me”. Jerome pointed to one of his goons who was holding a glass statue of an owl. You noticed the look on Bruce and Alfred’s face. They were doing their best not to react. “You know, I will never understand rich people’s tastes”.

“It’s worthless”. It’s not. It’s valuable to them. To their personal mission. You wondered why Bruce was lying. What’s so special about it? “My father found it in a flea market. I keep it for sentimental reasons.”

“Nice try”. Jerome waved the object up and down. “Oh, it’s got some heft to it. Expensive I’m guessing. Be such a shame if I -Oh!” He let his hand slip.

“No, don’t!” Nothing happened. Bruce and Alfred let out a sigh of relief. Jerome looked disappointed. 

“Huh. Tougher than I figured. '' Jerome picked up the object and threw it behind him. This time it broke. “Anyway -”

“Ah, bloody hell” Alfred glanced to the side at the sound of the owl breaking. 

“I asked you what you want” Bruce turned from the broken owl to Jerome. 

“Right. Sorry. The old noodle’s still a little al dente post-thaw”. Jerome began to walk toward the younger boy. “The reason I’m here is I’m gonna kill you”

“Why?” Bruce asked the same question you’ve been asking yourself since you found out. 

“Well, it’s the last thing I remember wanting to do”. The redhead explained. “It’s been nagging at me since I woke up”. He clicked his tongue, taking out his knife and waving it around, pointing it at Bruce’s neck. “The idea of slitting that pretty pink throat of yours. Figure that’d clear the decks. What do you think, huh?”

“I remember that night”. Bruce didn’t flinch at the killer’s movements. “When you took over the benefit, you were quite the showman”.

“Thank you”. Jerome waved his knife around, about to kill the younger boy. “Always nice to be appreciated”.

“And you’re just going to kill me here?” Jerome froze as Bruce continued speaking. You were surprised that he hasn’t flinched one bit. “That’s kind of disappointing”.

You noticed how Jerome was hesitating. He groaned. “What do you mean?” 

“After all the build-up, you coming back to life, turning off the lights in Gotham”. Bruce explained. “Killing me here just doesn’t show a lot of -”

“Flair?” Jerome continued, moving to stand on top of the sofa. He kicked a ripped pillow off. “Hmm? Style?” You heard something shatter. “Panache? Hmm? Go on, boy. Spit it out. I can take it.”

“I’m Bruce Wayne”. The young billionaire spoke, holding his head high. 

“I’m aware”. Jerome got off the sofa, walking around Bruce with his knife in hand as Bruce continued. 

“I am the ruling elite”. Bruce continued to speak with no fear as Jerome put the knife to his neck. “My company is the machine that keeps the cogs of Gotham running”.

“Wow” Jerome stood in front of him.

“Killing me should mean something!” You watched Bruce continue to buy himself time. “And you’re telling me no one’s going to see it?”

“You’re saying I need an audience? Oh. '' Jerome leaned into Bruce’s ear. “Look, I know you’re just trying to buy time so you can escape. But your point is still valid.”

Jerome raised his hand up in the air, waving it in a circular motion. “Saddle up, boys! We’re taking this show on the road! And I know just the spot. Come on.”

Alfred stood up as Jerome grabbed hold of Bruce. “Uh-uh-uh”. The redhead turned to the British man. He spoke in a bad British accent. “Not you, old chap. The prince of Gotham deserves a public death. His butler, not so much. Kill him.”

“No!” Bruce yelled, rushing to his guardian’s side. Jerome wrapped an arm around your shoulder, pulling you closer. The two of you watched Bruce and Alfred dispart. 

“Bruce! This what you’ve been training for”. Alfred spoke. “You’re gonna be alright on your own”.

“I will see you again”. Bruce reassured. 

“You carry on, son”. Alfred nodded. “You carry on”.

“Strangely intimate”. Jerome commented.

“I think it’s cute”. You glanced at him. “They’re family”.

Jerome rolled his eyes and grabbed Bruce. “Come on”. The three of you began to exit the room. You gave one last glance at Alfred, giving him a reassuring smile. He nodded at you. It was as if you telepathically told him that you’ll keep Bruce safe, which you planned on doing. You’ll do your best to make sure that the boy doesn’t end up dead. “Try not to get any blood on the couch. I might come back for that”.

Moments passed and you had arrived at the Boardwalk Circus. You stood next to Jerome, his arm still around you as the two of you watched the mayhem that was around you. The workers and visitors that were here earlier in the day are now being tortured by the crazed cult members. To your right is a Whack-A-Mole where one of Jerome’s goons was aiming to hit any of the people that they had trapped inside. You noticed Bruce looking around. 

“Get him! Squash her!” Jerome cheered at the person playing the Whack-A-Mole. “Get the old lady. No the fat guy. Put your back into it”.

“Oh, we’re off to a good start” He chuckled, taking his arm off of you and walked toward Bruce. Another goon handed him a hat. “What do you say, Bruce? Want to have some fun before the main event?”

The three of you began to walk toward a booth. Jerome’s goons followed close by, pointing their guns at you and Bruce. You glared at the one pointing their gun at you. They held their gun to the side. You smirked. 

The booth you walked into was a clown booth. Jerome pushed Bruce to sit down and ordered the clown worker to do his makeup. The redhead then turned to you, smiling. “And what do you want dear? A butterfly? A tiger? Actually, no, never mind. You look better without all that makeup anyways”.

“Aw. How sweet of you”. You mocked a smile. “I’m flattered that you think so. But I would like one thing”.

“Anything for my kitten”. Jerome put his hands on your hips, pulling you closer to him. You did your best not to push him away when he placed a kiss on your cheek. “But no promises”.

“Don’t hurt kill Bruce just yet”. You wrapped your arms around the ginger-haired boy, pouting as you leaned into him. “Show him around. Try showing him your perspective. Trying seeing if he can understand you, make him join you”.

“Oh, (y/n)”. Jerome whispered into your ear. “You haven’t changed a whole lot”.

You glared as he pulled away, crossing your arms. “Worth a shot”. 

Jerome watched you walk up to Bruce. The clown was half-way done painting his left eye. You knelt down and stared at Bruce through the mirror. The younger boy looked at you. You placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“Alfred is going to be alright”. You reassured. 

“You don’t know that for sure”. Bruce clenched his jaw. “They might have already killed him”.

“Have some faith Bruce”. You glanced at him. He turned to you. “I’m sure Alfred didn’t train you to lose against someone like Jerome. He trained you to continue living through the pain and conquer. You just have to wait for the right moment”.

“And you?” Bruce turned back to look at himself in the mirror. The clown was just started painting his other eye. “From what I’ve seen, you’re no longer that teenage girl who feared for her life. You seem to be part of Gotham's underworld now”.

“No, I’m not”. You turned to look at the mirror as well. Your (e/c) colored eyes turned bright yellow once more. “I’ve changed. I could have killed them and chose to run away, but instead, I followed them to know their plan. To regain some memories. Selfish, I know. But trust me, Bruce. Just because I’ve killed and I’m Penguin’s adoptive sister, it doesn’t mean I’m the bad guy. I still have my morals. And we are going to get out of here alive”.

Bruce took a deep breath as your eyes turned back into their normal color. You stood up and walked back to Jerome. He was watching you from a distance. He had watched you talk to Bruce, reassuring him to hang in there. Watching you walk back to his side felt surreal. Your personality changed so much since last year. He found you to be even more beautiful. Even if he is crazy, he finds you to be the only one that he’ll never kill. As you said, you are the Bonnie to his Clyde. You’re his queen. He wants you to be by his side and stay loyal to him forever. 

You stood next to him. He wrapped an arm around your waist. You turned to him. He kissed you on the lips, surprising you a bit. His lips felt warm. You didn’t push him away, nor did you kiss him back. You didn’t know what to do. He let go of you and walked toward Bruce, leaving you to stare at the empty space he was standing at. The feeling of his warm lips still lingering on yours. You felt your heartache. Turning to Jerome, you watched him speak to the younger boy. The clown had finished face painting Bruce. He looked like a sad clown. 

“Got to be honest, Bruce, you don’t make the world’s funniest clown” Jerome stood behind Bruce, staring at him through the mirror. “But, oh, we can change that.” The red-haired boy pulled out a knife, held Bruce’s head, threatening to slice his throat. You rushed to his but stopped once Jerome stabbed the clown in the stomach. Both you and Bruce stared at Jerome in shock and relief. The clown groaned in pain as Jerome stuck his hand in the wound, covering it in the clown’s blood. 

“Aw, shut up, you big baby”. Jerome began to wipe his bloody finger on Bruce’s lips, making a sad face with the blood. “Let’s turn that frown upside-down”

The three of you began to take a walk around the boardwalk. Jerome held your hand in his while wrapping his other hand around Bruce. The sound of people screaming and crying for help covered the sound of circus music. Looking around, you tried to understand how regular people could turn into insane murders within a night. Not to mention, the way Jerome’s hand felt nice holding yours didn’t much help your thoughts about him. 

“Is there a plan for all this madness?” Bruce asked.

“These people don’t want a plan, they want an excuse.” Jerome let go of your hand as the three of you stopped walking. He turned to Bruce, explaining what was happening around. “The mother who dreams of strangling her child. The husband who wants to stab his wife. All they want is for someone to tell them ‘Do it. Kill them. It doesn’t matter’. It doesn’t.”

“Oh, I love this game!” Jerome walked toward the Drop-A-Punk game. A man sat on the chair, fearing for his life as piranhas swam in the tank below him. “One, please. I gotta win a prize for my dear doll over there”.

You rolled your eyes as Jerome held a baseball in his hand. Bruce was being held by two of Jerome’s goons as the man began to beg for his life. You took a deep breath, crossing your arms as you continued to just watch Jerome cause chaos around Gotham. 

“You won’t get away with it”. Bruce stated.

“I already did.” Jerome glanced back at him. “Now hush. I need to concentrate.” He spat on the ground.

“A few dozen brainwashed maniacs can’t keep the city hostage forever”. Bruce glared.

“Well, duh”. Jerome turned to him, then back at the target, ready to aim.

“So what’s the point?” Bruce distracted Jerome once again. 

“The point is that all these people out here,” Jerome turned to Bruce and explained. “Looting, robbing, killing, they’re the people who wash your car, who pour your coffee, who take out your trash. And what happened when the lights went out? They showed their true faces. They showed how quickly they want to open up your rich boy veins and bathe in your blue blood. That is the point”.

“That’s not true”. Bruce refuted. “There are good people in Gotham”.

“Like who?” Jerome laughed. “The sheep who lock their doors and crawl under their beds? Face it, kid, Gotham has no heroes”.

The man began to whimper and beg once Jerome turned back to throw the ball at the target. Before he could though, Bruce pushed him. Jerome turned to him, a shocked expression on his face. The goons took hold of Bruce’s arms as Jerome yelled out foul. “Foul. He pushed me. Did you see that?”

The guy running the game nodded. Bruce struggled against the goons’ hold. “You want to kill someone, let’s get on with it. Come on!”

“You’re so boring, Bruce”. Jerome pretended to yawn, placing his hand on the target, pushing it down. The sound of the bell dinging compared to nothing to the man’s cry as he fell into the tank and killed by the flesh-eating fishes. The tank was dyed with the man’s blood. Bruce and you cried, rushing to save the man but were held back. “Sorry”

You watched another goon walk up to Jerome, handing him a stapler. He took off his hat, letting the other guy hold it as Jerome stapled a part of his face back on. He groaned at the feeling. 

“Did that hurt?” Bruce pretended to care.

“Not much”. Jerome walked to Bruce, grabbing his arm. He pulled his sleeve a bit higher, the stapler in his hands. “You try” Jerome stapled Bruce’s arm. 

No reaction. Bruce just stared into Jerome’s eyes. The redhead looked a bit surprised. He stapled him again. No reaction. Then again, getting closer to a vein. This time Bruce yelled for him to stop. Jerome smiled. 

“Alright, enough dilly dally”. Jerome handed the goon back the stapler and put on his hat. “To the main event”

Just as the three of you began to walk away, you flicked your right wrist toward the guy that ran the game. The razor string came out and wrapped the man’s head. You tugged at it, slicing the man’s neck. You stared at the man as he bled to death with no remorse. Jerome and Bruce glanced at the man then at you. A smile was on Jerome’s face while Bruce stared at you in confusion. 

“He put that innocent man on that chair”. You walked ahead of them, shrugging as you retracted the string. “What? I can’t kill Jerome”. 

“I’ve mentioned that I love her, right?” Jerome glanced at Bruce and his goons. The rest of them followed you, Jerome walked to your side. You ignored all of his compliments and let him lead you and Bruce to the main event he spoke of. Glancing at Bruce, you clench your jaw. The two of you need a plan. Fast.


	27. Escape

You entered the circus tent. Jerome’s followers dragged Bruce away and you couldn’t follow him. Other goons grabbed your arms and dragged you to Jerome’s ‘dressing room’. He was changing into a showman uniform. You sat down in a chair, glaring daggers into Jerome’s back. He stared at you through his vanity mirror. His goons stood next to him.

“Where are you taking Bruce?” You asked as Jerome finished buttoning his vest.

“Are we seriously going to talk about Bruce when we have a moment to ourselves?” Jerome turned to you, arms out as one of his followers slipped a red jacket on him. “That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”

You rolled your eyes, crossing your legs and arms. “We’re not exactly alone, are we?” You gestured toward his goons. 

“Hmm. Good point”. Jerome sat on a chair and began to put on long black boots. “But don’t worry, dear, our friend Bruce is just getting ready for the show”.

“You mean for his execution”. You stared at Jerome. He had stood up, walking up to you.

“Come on, babe”. He offered his hand to you. You glanced at it like it was foreign. “Let’s get you ready too”.

“Oh?” You smirked. “Are you going to kill me too?”

“Of course not.” Jerome smiled as you took his hand, wrapping your arm around his. “You’re going to be my beautiful showgirl”

You went to another section of the tent, a thigh-high red leather dress, black fishnet stockings, and white elbow-length gloves were laid on top of a vanity table. Knee-length black high wedge boots were placed beside a chair. Jerome had ordered his goons to leave, while he sat down on another chair. You turned to him. “You’re not going to wait outside?”

“Oh, don’t mind me”. Jerome pulled out his pocket knife and began to play with it. “I’m just going to sit here quietly while you change. Hope you don’t mind”

“Not at all”. You turned back around. Jerome whistled as he played with his knife. He glanced at you as you began to take off your clothes and change. You sensed his stare, but you didn’t do anything. It sent chills down your spine. But you continued to keep your calm and change into the outfit he picked out for you. 

The moment you had the stockings and dress on, Jerome stood up and walked up to you. You jumped at the sudden feeling of his touch. Turning to him, you were a bit surprised to see how close the two of you were. Staring into Jerome’s eyes, you noticed the serious look he had. He sat you down on the chair, not breaking eye contact with you. He grabbed the white gloves and one of your arms. He slipped the gloves on you. Then, he moved to grab your boots. Without saying anything, he knelt down and also helped you put on the boots. He stared into your eyes when he finished.

You looked into his green eyes. He stroked your cheek, feeling the patch of scales on your skin. It felt warm. It felt as if he wasn’t about to kill one of your friends as if he wasn’t a murderous cult leader. You hated the fact that you felt safe and comfortable around the maniac. You hated that your heart ached to be closer to him. Closing your eyes, you placed a hand on his, snuggling your head on Jerome’s hand. He smiled. 

“Come.” He got up and held his hand out to you. You reluctantly took it. “It’s showtime.”

Jerome led you to the part of the tent where the stage was. You noticed Bruce handcuffed to a moving pillar. You rushed to his side as Jerome left to go to the stage. “Bruce!”

“(y/n)” Bruce turned to you, whispering as everyone began the final preparations. “Please tell me you have a plan”.

You closed your eyes, only to reopen them to shine a yellow. Everything around you turned into heat signatures. Looking around, you scanned your surroundings, looking for something or someone to help. Nothing. 

Wait.

You noticed two heat signatures coming close to the tent. Focusing on your hearing, you listened to their footsteps. They were being cautious, most likely GCPD. You smiled, turning back to Bruce, eyes going back to normal. “Sort of, just hang in there for a bit longer.”

“I give you the climax to our festivities”. The tent opened and some of Jerome’s goons began to wheel Bruce onto the stage. You walked out with him, standing next to his side. The bright lights blinded you for a mere second before your eyes adjusted and you were able to see all of Jerome’s followers cheering. 

“The billionaire prince of Gotham, Bruuuce - Wayne!” Jerome spoke into a megaphone. The crowd cheered. “Well, so what do you say, Bruce? Shall we end the night with a bang? Or better yet, a boom?” Jerome stood next to the other side of Bruce while you acted the part of a showgirl. The crowd laughed at their leader’s joke, chanting the word ‘boom’. “Alright”

Someone wheeled out a canon, placing it right in front of Bruce. You glanced at Bruce as you walked to the other side to open a crate. Inside was the cannonball. You gestured at it with a fake convincing smile. The crowd cheered and Jerome went to grab it. He walked it over to the canon and placed it inside. Someone then handed you a box, only for you to tilt it and show it to the crowd.

“What’s next?” You handed the box to Jerome. He looked inside and showed it to Bruce. “Death by a thousand cuts, very poetic. I like that” He dumped the box inside the canon. You then handed him a box of knives. “Slice!” He said as he dumped the knives inside. Then a box of nails, he repeated the same action. “Nailed it”.

You went back to standing next to Bruce, your eyes shone yellow once more. Reassuring that the GCPD were close, you leaned next to Bruce, whispering. “Just a bit more”.

“All right, folks”. Jerome turned to the audience. “This is very important. Whatever you do, please definitely try this at home. Preferably on a family member”. Jerome jumped onto the canon, pretending that it was a horse. You did your best not to roll your eyes as the crowd joined him. 

The sound of a gunshot made everyone turn quiet. Jerome grinned at the sight of the officers. “Detective Gordon, you’re just in time for the big finish”.

You eyes turned back to normal and turned to Bruce. “Now”. 

“Nobody move!” The crowd began to disperse at the sound of another gunshot. People were laughing and shouting. You pulled out a hairpin and began to picklock the handcuffs on Bruce, freeing one of his hands. You were so close until someone pulled you away, making you drop the hairpin. Jerome had just lit the canon and it was only a matter of seconds before it blows up. 

Turning to the person who pulled you away, you punched them and tried to run back to Bruce. You had barely moved before Jerome grabbed you by the arm and dragged you away. “Come on, doll, it’s not safe for you here”.

He dragged you into a porta-potty and locked you inside. “I’ll be back for you once this whole shindig is over!”

You banged and kicked on the door, grunting in frustration. “Fuck!” You pulled on your hair. The chaos that was happening outside could be heard from inside. Think. Think. Think. Think. Making your eyes shine yellow once more, you spread your arms to the walls of the porta-potty. You pushed with all your force, slowly bending the sides. You continued to push until you heard the snap of the door hedges breaking. Kicking down the door, you rushed out and ran back to the circus tent.

Pushing anyone that blocked your way, you took off your gloves, throwing them to the ground, making it back to the part of the tent where you had changed. Rummaging through your clothes, you found your cuffs and put them back on. 

“Hey!” You turned and saw another of Jerome’s followers. Whipping out your razor strings, you maneuvered your arm so the string sliced the follower’s across his chest. You ran outside the tent. Most of the followers were too busy fighting the GCPD or running away. Only some of them rushed to fight you. Seeing as you helped stopped the lunatics, none of the officers had tried to come close to you.

You ran, searching for Bruce. The moment you heard a British man’s voice you paused. Turning to the direction of where the voice came from, you saw Alfred shooting at Jerome’s followers and yelling for Bruce. You ran toward him. “Alfred!”

“(y/n)?” The butler turned to you as you ran into his arms. You hugged him for a mere second before pulling away. 

“Thank god, you’re alright”. You let out a sigh of relief. 

“Where’s Bruce?” Alfred placed a hand on your shoulder. “We need to find Bruce. Let’s go”

The two of you continued to search for Bruce while at the same time stopping any of Jerome’s followers. Alfred was shocked to see how well you can handle yourself. The way you gracefully moved through the crowd, controlling the razor strings like they were a part of you, was like seeing you dance through a ballroom. Even without your weapon, you’re still strong enough to take out anyone who stands in your way. 

“Alfred!” You turned to see Bruce come out of the Hall of Mirrors. He ran toward his guardian. 

“Bruce!” The British man responded. The younger boy hugged his butler tightly. 

“I thought you were dead”. Bruce pulled away. 

“Can’t get rid of me that easily, can you mate?” Alfred pulled Bruce into another hug. “Oh, come here”.

You smiled at the sight. That smile was short-lived the moment you saw Jerome exit the hall as well. The redhead aimed a gun at Bruce and Alfred. Before you could stop him, detective Gordon had rushed to do it himself. “Behind you!”

The detective punched Jerome a few times, knocking the maniac out. All of you stared as Jerome’s face fell off. The moment your eyes landed on Jerome’s tore-off face and bloody face, you felt your heart sink to your stomach. Being close to Oswald, you’re used to hearing about the grotesque methods gangs use to torture their enemies, but you’ve never seen it. Oswald never let you to. The most you’ve seen was that night in St. Rais. You sighed and turned to look at the other three. 

 

Sighing, you got up from your seat and grabbed your stuff and got ready to leave the GCPD. You were taken to give your statement. By the time you got to the precinct, you were tired and just wanted to go home. The sun was just rising, making you realize how tired you are. But you still complied with the officers. As you left, you saw detective Gordon and Bullock leave as well.

“Detectives” You walked toward them as they turned to you.

“(y/n)” Gordon stared at you. You sensed that he was being cautious of you. “I heard you got your memories back”

“Most, but not all”. You explained. “I remember my uncle, a bit of St. Rais, my time here in Gotham, but not my parents and I get snippets of the circus”.

“Still, it’s better than nothing”. The detective gave you a small smile. 

“Don’t worry, detective”. You smiled at him. “Just because I’m a mutant now and kill people, I still stand by what I said on my grand opening. I’m not one of them”.

“I’m just being careful”. Gordon explained. “After last night, you can’t blame me”.

“No, I can’t” You glanced in the direction of Dr. Thomkins. Gordon looked her way as well. He turned back to you as you smirked. “But I’m sure you out of everyone here understand the measures one takes when protecting the people they love.''

Detective Gordon didn’t say anything. He just stared at you. You smiled and began to walk away. “See you around, Detective”.

 

“Serpentine!” The children ran to you as you walked into the club. You smiled and hugged as much as you can. The guards and workers smiled at you, glad to see you returning safe and sound. The group of children dispersed as the snakes came to you. 

_Welcome back_. Shiba spoke as you picked her up and wrapped her around your shoulder. You smiled at her. Sage and Jade slithered around your legs. _We’re glad to see that you’re safe_. Jade stroked her head on your leg. _Yes, but we have terrible news_. You glanced at Sage. You turned to look at your driver, Markos. He’s your most trusted employee, your confidant, and friend. “Sage speaks of news. What news?”

He walked up to you, holding his driver’s cap. His solemn expression worried you. “It’s about Penguin, Miss”

 

Baraba smiled as she served Tabitha and Butch their drinks. Edward took Oswald to the harbor to kill him just now. With Penguin gone, the blonde will be the new head of Gotham’s underworld. Now they just need to get rid of Ed and their plan will be complete. The three of them cheered as they drank. The sudden sound of the club’s door slamming open grabbed their attention.

Butch stood up the moment he saw you walk in. Your eyes glared daggers as you walk up to them. Tabitha had stood up as well, pulling out her gun. But before she could pull the trigger, you threw a dagger at her shoulder. She groaned in pain as you pulled the brunette toward you by the hair. You held a knife to her neck, holding her arms behind her back. Both Butch and Baraba pulled out their guns and pointed them at you. 

“What do you want, (y/n)?” Butch asked.

“Nygma”. Your glare hardens. “Where is he?”

“Killing Oswald at this very minute”. Baraba smirked. She jumped onto the counter the moment she felt Sage slithering onto her leg. Jade slithered her way toward Butch. The blonde turned to you, glaring at you. “Call them off”.

“And why should I do that?” You drew the knife closer to Tabitha's skin. “You kill Oswald, I kill your beloved girlfriend. A life for a life”

“Because we both want Nygma dead”. She explained. “He cut off Tabs’ hand, and think about it, with Oswald gone, you’ll be the new head of the Cobblepot family. I’m sure he taught you everything he knows. And with me as the new leader of the underworld, I can make it that you have a seat in the -”

“I don’t care about that”. You interrupted. 

“Of course you don’t”. Baraba sighed. “You only care about Oswald’s life, right? Well, he’s most likely dead already”.

“You’re not helping your case here”

“Look.” Baraba continued. “You want Nygma dead, we do too. So, let’s join forces and kill him together. Tabs and Butch, here, can have their fun first and then you can have him and feed him to your snakes”.

You gave it a thought. Oswald would be dead by now, so she has a point. Letting go of Tabitha, you turned her around and punched her in the face. She held her jaw, turning to you. “What was that for?”

“That’s for your brother killing my ex”. You then pulled out your dagger from her shoulder. “And this was for killing me”.

Sage and Jade began to follow you as you turned to leave. “Bring me Nygma. Dead or alive”.


	28. Visits

You should have known Edward would escape from Baraba’s grasp. She’s the type of woman who would pretend to be your friend only to backstab you the next day. Most people are like that in Gotham. So, you took matters in your hands. Edward doesn’t have anywhere to go except for Oswald’s place. You had decided to pay him a visit.

Returning home from just killing another one of Gotham’s most intellectuals, Ed had walked into the living room. He paused once he saw you sitting down, an anaconda on the couch, a giant python on the floor. Sage and Jade rested on your lap while you held Shiba in your arms, stroking her. You didn’t glance his way.

“Hello, Nygma”. You turned to him, smiling. “Watch your step. Veil doesn’t like it when people don’t see her”

“(y/n)” Ed continued to stand where he was. He knew that Baraba hadn’t killed you, but he wished she had. He never liked you from the moment you stepped foot in this household. You watched as the man took a deep breath. “I didn’t think you’d be here”.

“Well, since now I’m a Cobblepot, this place is mine”. You gestured toward the house. “After all, Oswald is dead”

Edward watched you stand up, glancing at the snakes as they began to slowly slither toward him. Their low hisses put him on edge. You stopped when you stood right in front of him, a pocket knife in your hand. Waving the knife around, you pointed it directly at his heart. You smirked. 

“You know, Ed” You began. “I’ve been thinking over the past few days and I’ve decided, I’m not going to kill you”.

“You’re not”. The man sounded confused as you retracted the knife from his chest. 

“No”. You continued to smirk, taking a step back. “You see, Ed, I believe in ‘An eye for an eye’, ‘a life for a life’, ‘a loved one for a loved one’”.

You grabbed the taller man’s tie, making him look at you in your eye level, eyes shining yellow, glaring at him. You watched as bits of fear rose within him as you held the knife to his throat. A chuckle escaped your lips when you finally remembered him from Indian Hill. 

“One day, Ed” Your glare hardens. “You will fall in love again. But unlike the last two times, you or Oswald are not going to be one to kill your partner. Instead, it would be me. And when that day comes, you are going to remember that you killed your best friend, your mentor, and by doing so, you sent a death sentence to your partner’s life”.

The snakes hissed and snapped their mouths at him. You let go of him, putting your knife back inside your pocket. Patting his shoulder, you made your way out of the home. “In the meantime, take care of the place. See you around, Nygma”

 

A few weeks go by and you continued to read about one of Gotham’s intellectuals die on the news. The children looked happier as they helped around the place. The workers and guards continued to remain loyal to you even after Oswald’s fall. You were in your office, doing paperwork as always. Shiba was out with the other snakes tonight, leaving you alone. A sudden memory of Jerome popped into your mind.

It was a memory of him placing a necklace around your neck. The feeling of his fingers brushing against your skin sent shivers down your spine. His breath was so close to your ear. His arms wrapping around your waist once he was done. He placed a small peck on your bare shoulder. Your breath hitched once the memory ended. 

“What went wrong?” You whispered to no one. Checking the clock, you saw that it was getting late. Are you seriously thinking about this? You have to be insane for wanting to pay Jerome a visit. But he remembers the memories you don’t. He knows you more than you know yourself. He has the answers to the questions you’ve been dying to know. Fuck it. Picking up the phone, you dialed the head of Arkham Asylum. 

 

Walking the halls of the asylum, you remembered the time you were in Indian Hill. You hated it. You wanted to kill every worker you saw out of anger. But you held yourself back, you had to. They did nothing wrong. It was the Indian Hill workers who deserved to be punished. A guard opened the door to one of the visitation rooms. Jerome sat, smiling at you while his arms were handcuffed the table. You sat across from him.

“Did you miss me, (y/n)?” He grinned. “Is that why you called this little meeting?”

“I asked to see you so I could ask you some questions”. You placed your bag on the table. Sage and Jade slithered out. Shiba remained in the bag, only allowing her upper body to peak out. Jerome’s smile faltered for a second once he saw his mother’s pet snake. 

“I see that you’re doing well, Shiba” Jerome turned to you, his smile returning.

“She said to go fuck yourself” You crossed your arms and legs. Jerome looked at you, impressed and confused. You glanced at Sage and Jade. “No, you can’t eat him. Your mouths aren’t as big as Veil’s or Bam’s”

“You speak to snakes”. Jerome leaned toward you, grinning.

“Oh, I can do more than that” Your eyes shone yellow, speaking in a low whisper. “My senses are heightened. I can see heat signatures. I even have the strength of a giant python and anaconda. That’s why I keep them in my office.” 

Placing your arm on the table, Sage and Jade slithered to you and pierced their fangs into your skin. Jerome watched as they did so. He was on the edge of his seat. You held yourself with confidence, and if you didn’t, he would have jumped in to save you. But you have everything under control and took noticed how excited he was watching.

“I’m also immune to all snake venom”. You held your arm up, elbow still on the table. A smirk still on your lips. “And my blood can act as an antidote”.

“Wow. You’ve really changed, huh. '' Jerome leaned back into his seat. “So, what questions does my dear kitten have for me? Is it about our wonderful relationship?”

“What was the circus like?” You asked. Jerome’s smile fell. He glared at you. You could tell he doesn’t like the subject being brought up. Could you blame him? He came here expecting to catch up with you. He even planned on stealing a kiss or two, though he knows you’d punch him for it. But you didn’t care. You just want to fill in the gaps in your memories. 

“I don’t remember much from there” You leaned back, staring at your hands. “I remember being with you, being in love with you. Those memories look so sweet. They look and feel nice. But I don’t remember the people there. I don’t remember the friends and family I made”.

“First off, sweetheart” You looked at Jerome. He leaned in, holding your hands. “I’m your family. Everyone there doesn’t matter”

You took your hands away from him. Sage and Jade snapped at him. Jerome laughed. You glared. “If you’re only going to tell me lies, I’m leaving”.

“Fine, fine”. Jerome rolled his eyes. “I’ll tell you what you want to hear, not the truth”

“What you believe is the truth are actual lies”. You mocked a smile.

“Whatever you say, doll”. Jerome leaned back. “So, what do you want to know?”

Before you could ask any of your questions, your phone rang. Jerome glanced at the device in your hand, angry at it for disrupting your time with him. You placed your index finger up, signaling to him to stay quiet and to wait a moment. Your brows knitted together as you looked at the unknown number. Placing your phone to your ear, you spoke. “Who is this?”

“Ivy Pepper” You heard a female’s voice. She sounded excited. The name sounded familiar to you. Wasn’t she Selina Kyle’s friend? 

“What do you want?” You stood up and went to the corner of the room. Jerome watched your every move.

“Oswald’s alive” Those two words caused you to pause, eyes widening. You felt like your heart stopped and tears forming. Jerome glared as he saw your reaction. You look like you’ve just been given the best news in your life. He bit the inside of his cheek while looking at you. You didn’t have that reaction when he came back. He wondered who was making you look so happy. “I saved him. He told me to tell you to come to see him”

“I-I’ll be on my way”. You managed to speak. Ivy told you the address and the two of you hung up. A bright smile formed and you looked at the snakes. “Sage, Jade, get in the bag. We’re leaving”

_What news did you receive?_ Sage asked as he made his way back inside your bag. _It must be good news_. Jade commented. Jerome watched the whole thing. “Where are you going?”

“An urgent matter came up”. You grabbed your bag and signaled to the guard to open the door. “I’ll come back tomorrow, don’t worry”.

Jerome watched as you left with a bright grin. A part of him felt betrayed that you had someone else that made you smile like that. But the other part was happy that you told him that you’ll come again. Knowing that you’re trying to close him off, he never thought that he could feel that type of happiness again. The type that he felt when he was with you during the circus. Yet there’s someone out there that is making you feel the way that he can’t. He despises that. He’ll figure it out tomorrow.

 

You walked into an abandoned house. It was surrounded by all sorts of plants. Looking around, you made your way toward the sunroom. You could hear a female’s voice and Oswald conversing. They were talking about the Indian Hill experiments. “What sort of freaks?”

“Not all of us are freaks” You grabbed their attention. Oswald smiled at the sight of you. Tears finally fell from your eyes as you ran into Oswald’s arms. The two of you hugged each other tightly. You’re the only one who Oswald could truly trust his life with. You pulled away to stare at his face, hands on his cheeks. “I thought you were dead, Ozzie”

“I’ll be fine when I get my revenge on Ed” Oswald grinned. 

“When _we_ get our revenge” You corrected, placing your hands back to your side. “I’m going to be part of this too”

“No, no” Oswald shook his head. “You can’t. What if you die? Plus, you don’t usually kill”.

“I kill only those that deserve it”. You glanced at the dead bodies on the plant bed, turning back to Ivy and Oswald. “And I’m just going to guess that they deserved this”.

“Totally” Ivy smiled. “They tied up Oswald and were going to auction him off, but I saved him with my perfume -”

“That does not matter” Oswald raised his voice. He placed his hands on your shoulders. “What matters is that I keep you safe”

“Oswald, I can handle myself”. You walked around the plant bed, getting a better glance at the bodies. Staring at Gabe, you placed your fingers on your lips then on his forehead. He may have been faking his loyalty toward Oswald, but he was a good friend to you. You watched as plants began to grow on their bodies. 

“I know you can”. You turned to Oswald. He looked concerned. “I’m just worried that something could happen to you”.

“How about this then,” You glanced at both Oswald and Ivy. “You tell me which ‘freaks’ you’re planning to bring and I’ll tell you everything I know about them. I was the doc’s favorite before Fish came along.”

Oswald turned to Ivy. The redhead just shrugged. Unlike with Gabe, she trusted you. She was shocked that Oswald was actually nice to someone. She’s been trying to gain his trust from the moment he woke up. Letting out a sigh, Oswald nodded his head. “Alright”

“Great!” Ivy clapped her hands together. “I’ll go make some tea and we’ll get started”.

You turned to Oswald, who just shook his head. Smiling, you walked up to him and wrapped an arm around his back. The two of you followed Ivy to her kitchen. She served the two of you and herself tea, placing the cups on the dirty table as the two of you sat down. You took a sip. Not bad. Ivy waited for your reaction. She looked happy when you smiled at her. 

“So, who are these freaks that we’re planning to recruit” Oswald turned to the redheaded girl. 

“Well, I don’t remember all of them” Ivy began. “But I remember Selina mentioning this guy who can only survive in the cold and an old friend of ours who calls herself Firefly - she has a thing for fires and anything to do with the heat”.

“Victor Fries and Bridgit Pike” The two turned to you. “Fries calls himself Mr. Freeze. He experimented on people trying to preserve his wife in ice so he can find a way to save her from dying but failed. He then exposed himself to his own experiment, trying to kill himself, but his body mutated so he can’t survive out of subzero temperatures”.

“And where is he now?” Oswald asked.

“Last I checked, he’s hiding in some ice chamber somewhere” You took a sip of your tea. “I’m guessing it’s somewhere in the arctic. It’s the only place he could survive without his suit”

“Suit?” Ivy looked at you, confused.

“Strange made a suit so Fries can survive outside”. You explained, glancing at Oswald, smiling. “It’s most likely in one of the Wayne Enterprises abandoned warehouses. That’s where they took most of the Indian Hill stuff anyways”.

“How do you know that?” Ivy raised a brow.

“I have eyes around Gotham” You shrugged. “Wayne Enterprises started Indian Hill. It only makes sense that they put it there. Plus, my psycho ex-boyfriend was stolen from there and came back to life a few weeks ago”

“Wait, you’re ex is alive?” Oswald backtracked.

“Yes, but that’s not the point right now”. You continued, turning to Ivy. “Bridgit Pike is a friend of Selina’s. Her step-brothers forced her to go on one of their heist jobs, and she got burnt or something. She ended up making a fireproof suit as a result. Then, she killed her brothers and went on a criminal activity spree around Gotham with a flamethrower as a signature weapon. Ironically, she died by her own fire. Strange brought her back and manipulated her to work for him as the rest of us”

“Don’t tell me she’s living in a volcano or something” Ivy commented. You laughed.

“No, I ran into her while I was in hiding”. You explained. “She got her memories back and I helped her get a job somewhere. She works in a refinery, it's miles from here, but I’m going to need a week to convince her boss to allow us to see her. He hates it when his workers have visitors. Oh, and I’ll need that week to locate Fries”

“Alright” Oswald tapped the table. “I think this a plan” 

You smiled as the three of you cheered, clinking your cups together. The rest of the day you spent getting to know Ivy and catching up with Oswald. Ivy told you about her actual age and how she was aged up. You were shocked to hear about her adventures outside of Gotham but didn’t judge her for it. You had told Oswald about the other ‘freaks’ that were Indian Hill that were still alive but with Fish Mooney. You had also told him about Jerome and his cult, explaining why you weren’t there for him that night. He didn’t blame you and fully understood. At the end of the day, you were just happy to have Oswald back.

 

The sound of the door beeping took Jerome away from his thoughts. The guards pushed him inside the visitation room where you were waiting for him. He looked at you as the guards cuffed him to the table. You were on the phone in the corner of the room while the snakes remained on the table. Were you talking to the person from yesterday? You made eye contact with him the moment the guards left the room. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll get to it later. Just focus on the job I gave you. Okay, I gotta go. Bye”.

“Sorry about that”. You placed your phone in your pocket, taking a seat. “Work has me busy these days”.

“Oh yeah”. Jerome nodded as he remembered what you did for a job. “The gang told me that you ran some sort of club for street rats. They mentioned that you have some power now in Gotham. What was it that they called you? The princess of Gotham? Queen of snakes? Serpentine? You have so many titles”

“What can I say?” You smirked, shrugging. “I won the people over”

“And how did you do that?” The ginger-haired boy leaned in. His stitched on face stretched as he grinned ear to ear. “Did you kill a mob boss or something?”

“No”. You stroked Sage along his scales, still making eye contact with Jerome. “I actually became the adoptive sister of one. He helped me out of a situation that was caused here and I helped him get rid of some them”

“My, oh, my” Jerome leaned back, whistling. “Looks like my darling doesn’t care much for killing anymore, huh”

“I don’t as long as I think the people deserve it” You glared. 

“Tell me more”. His eyes gleamed with curiosity. “Who’d ya kill first? What was going through your mind? All of it”

“How about you answer this question first?” You pulled out a picture of an older woman. She wore a green outfit that resembled snake scales and a matching gypsy hat. Jerome’s grin fell once his eyes landed on the familiar face. It was a picture of Jerome’s mother. You smirked, sliding the picture on the table toward him. “This is your mother. Lilia Velaska. You killed her, right?”

“If you know, why are you asking?” Jerome glared.

“Because I don’t remember her”. You leaned in, hand still on the picture. “I’ve seen her in my recent dreams, but I can’t recall who she was. Shiba told me that she was her previous master, and you’re her son, but what’s my relationship with her? Was I her apprentice?”

Jerome stared at you, not replying. He grabbed the photo from your hand and looked at it. His glare hardens and he crumpled it up, throwing it to the ground. He rotated his head, laughing hysterically. His green eyes stared at you with a burning hatred. 

“You were just more than her apprentice”. He began to explain. “You were my dear mother’s dream child. She was the one to convince Mr. Haly to take you in. She treated you better than her own children. When you were around, she put up a front and acted like a damaged single mother that only need to go to AA meetings to become a better human being. But when you were off somewhere like in your trailer, she would do a 180 and have fun with me. Her, uncle Zack, and mommy’s dozens of lovers would take turns on beating the crap out of me and nag at me to do the chores. I figured that deep down, she never wanted us. She wanted a daughter. A daughter like you. She probably only kept us because pops told her to.”

Jerome paused. He took a moment, held your hands in his, stroking them with his thumb. You watched and waited for him to continue. 

“But you know -” He took in a deep breath, looking back up at you. The anger that he had for you disappeared. His green eyes looked at you with admiration. “- the only time I felt free from her was when I was with you. Even when I saw how different she treated you, I still fell in love with you. You gave me the love that she couldn’t. You treated me like a human being and not some sort of loner freak like the rest. You made me feel other emotions that weren’t hatred and anger”

“Don’t go sounding like a romantic, now” You took your arms and placed them in your pockets. Jerome smirked when he noticed your ears turning red. 

“Now, answer my questions”. The boy leaned back, smiling like a child waiting for a lollipop. You found it cute for some reason. 

Sighing, you leaned back. “I killed a couple of nuns and headmaster from the orphanage I was in. They were treating the children terribly, so I took matters into my own hands. They called me their savior in the end. It was a little girl that I met there who was the first to call me Serpentine. We’re pen pals”.

“How’d you kill ‘em?” He rested his head on his hand. You gestured at the snakes in front of you. 

“They do what I want them to” You shrugged. “Now, my turn”.

You pulled out another picture. This time it was of you, Jerome, and two other people - a guy and girl. Jerome rolled his eyes at the memory of those two. You stared at him, tapping your finger on the two. “Our friends, right? John Grayson and Mary Lloyd. What did we do when we hung out?”

“They’re YOUR friends”. Jerome emphasized. “Not mine. I only hung out with them because you did, but they couldn’t care less about me. Mary and Grayson would chat about what’s popular. You and Mary would at times go off about some girl stuff. Most of the time we would sit around, drink some booze Mary stole from her family and talk about things. I never really participated in the conversations, except for when the two of you would talk about how good looking Grayson was. The two of them were an off-and-on again thing, but tied the knot last year.”

“Seems like you were a loner” You arched a brow.

“No one messed with me unless it involved you or work around circus”. Jerome pointed out. “I’m not lying when I say my world revolves around you”

“And now it revolves around causing chaos wherever you go” The boy smirked as he saw you relax around him. He wanted to take this chance to talk more about the two of you, but your phone rang again. Damn that thing. You smiled at him. “Excuse me”.

He watched you stand up and go to the corner again. You looked at the caller id. It was Markos. You leaned against the wall, phone at your ear. “Yes”

“Baraba Kean requests your presence, Miss” The old man spoke over the phone.

“What for?” Jerome noticed your grimace expression.

“She said that it was a private matter”

“Is she there with you now?” You arched a brow. Markos replied with a ‘yes’. “Pass me to her”

“(y/n), darling, how are you?” Jerome raised a brow as you rolled your eyes. 

“Unless you’re calling me to say that you have-” You glanced at Jerome. “You-know-who’s head on a plate for my snakes, there really is no reason for you to be calling me”

“Well, no. That’s not why I’m calling you”. Baraba spoke. “I’m calling because I have a question”.

“You have three seconds”. You spoke in a monotone voice. “Three. two-”

“Did Oswald - may he rest in peace -” Jerome saw you roll your eyes again. “Ever mention a secret organization to you? One that is said to be the true masterminds controlling Gotham?”

“No. This is the first time I ever heard of it”. You walked over to the other corner of the room. “Now, go live up to your end of the deal or else I’ll have my snakes bite off that pretty little girlfriend of yours neck and feast on the rest of her remaining limbs. Kapish? Bye”

You smiled as you hung up the phone. Jerome raised his brows at you. Smirking, he felt goosebumps on his arms as he heard you threaten the person over the phone. He would be lying if he said that he wasn’t turned on by it. He’ll admit to liking this new you. You kept your morals but loosen up a bit.

“Sorry about that, where were we?” You sat back down, smiling. Just then, an officer knocked on the door. It was the signal telling you time was up. The guards entered to grab Jerome and take him to his cell. 

The redhead leaned in once again, holding your hands. His wide grin reappearing on his lips. You hadn’t pulled away from him this time as he stroked your knuckles. The snakes gave a low hiss. You leaned in to hear what Jerome had to say. He took that chance to place a kiss on your cheek, whispering to your ear. “Come by again tomorrow, doll”


	29. On Your Mind

A week had passed. Ivy and Oswald had already gathered Fries and Pike and returned home. During that time, you continued to see Jerome at Arkham. You asked him more about the circus, and he answered everything with so much detail. He told you his own experience, his first impression of you, your relationships with everyone, your role in the circus, he even spoke about his brother. You would laugh when he told you some funny memories. When he spoke, he didn’t sound like the insane Jerome you know of. He sounded like a different person. Like a sane person. The moment you asked if you ever mentioned your parents or uncle, Jerome laughed.

“You never once talked about them”. He leaned his head back, grinning. As he spoke, he made gestures with his hands. After talking and visiting him so many times now, you had told the guards to uncuff him. You trust that Jerome wouldn’t cause you any harm. “Whenever you have any of these traumatic experiences, you stay quiet about it. You pretend like that part of your life never happened - and to be honest, I’m shocked that you’re still coming here”.

“I should be closing you off” You smirked, taking a sip of your cup of water. Sage and Jade were on the floor, snapping at each other. They were bickering because Sage didn’t want Jade to come. Shiba was acting as moderator. Jerome glanced at the reptiles. “Jade’s going to be a mom soon. Sage thinks that she should be at home, but Jade doesn’t agree with him”. 

“Well ain’t that nature’s joy” Jerome looked at you. You were smiling at your snakes, feeling happy for them. Jerome smirked, remembering something he hasn’t told you. 

“You know, doll” You turned to Jerome. He got up and began to walk around you. “On our first anniversary, I got you this golden necklace. It had the letter J and a -”

“A heart” He turned to you, grinning. 

“Do you still have it?” He moved his chair around, sitting down. You shook his head. His grin fell. Waving his hand, he continued. “Anyway. That night, after having sex for the first time, we spoke about our future”

You tilted your head, eyebrows raised. “I didn’t take you for a family man”

“I’m not”. He got up again, walking behind you. He placed his hands on your shoulders and began giving you a message. “But, that night - that night was something”. 

The redhead sat down on the table. He stroked your hair, your cheek, your chin, his thumb traced along your lips. You noticed the look in his eyes. They didn’t have the crazy murderous desire they usually had. They looked as if they were gazing at something distant. You find it to be quite sad.

“We pictured this life together, outside the circus.” Jerome continued. “We planned on running a family business - I didn’t really care but you chose a reptile shop, just like your uncle. We’d settled on two kids, a girl and a boy, but if we wanted we could have more. The kids will come home from school, do their homework, play with the animals. I would tuck them into bed as you sang them a lullaby. You’d teach them how to dance and sing, I’d teach them how to toughen up. We’ll see them off to college. I’ll walk our daughter down the aisle at her wedding. You’ll embarrass both of them during your wedding speech. We’ll spoil the grandkids and grow old together. Then we’ll be buried together when we die”.

“Doesn’t sound like you” You shake your head at the thought. He laughed, getting off the table and walking back to his seat. 

“I know, but the thought just came to me” He leaned in, head on his palms, still grinning. “It wouldn’t be that bad to have a family with you. We could see this city destroy itself as a family. Don’t think that would be beautiful?”

“Absolutely not”. You smiled, crossing your arms. Jerome’s grin didn’t falter one bit. He knew it sounded crazy to you, he just wants to plant the idea in your head. “You killed your parents. What’s going to stop you from killing your own children?”

“You’re not afraid of me killing you?” He placed his arms down. 

“I think you already know that I’m not afraid of you” You leaned in, whispering. He smirked. 

“Of course you’re not”. Jerome leaned back. “But you shouldn’t worry about me killing our children. Well, as long as they don’t end up backstabbing us or annoy me in any way, then they’re fine”

You rolled your eyes as he laughed. The guards opened the door, pulling Jerome up from his seat. He clicked his tongue as they cuffed him. “Same time tomorrow?”

“Of course”. You had gotten up and grabbed your bag. Jerome watched you leave, the snakes hissing and snapping at him one last time before exiting the gate. 

 

Opening the door to Oswald’s house, you were expecting to see him and the others roaming around but they weren’t there. You called for them. No response. The snakes quickly roamed around looking for them. They called you once they found Bridgit on the ground, unconscious. You ran toward her. 

“Bridgit”. You called for her as she stirred awake. “Bridgit, are you alright?”

“Do I look alright to you?” She glared.

“What happened?” You helped her up. “And where’s Fries and Oswald?”

“Like I would know” She slapped your arm away. “He was probably taken away by those bastards that call themselves ‘The Court’. They’re the ones that did this. He’s probably dead by now”

“What - Where are you going?” You watched as she began to leave. 

“I’m leaving”. She stopped once you stood in front of her. “Freeze probably left too. There’s no point in working with someone who’s already dead”.

“You don’t know that”. You glared. 

“Based on what I’ve been hearing about them, yeah, I do”. She shoved you out of her way and walked out of the house. Taking a deep breath, you looked around the house. You should have been paying closer attention to what was happening. Oswald wouldn’t have been taken if you were by his side. The phone rang and you ran to get it, hoping it was news about your adoptive brother.

“Hello” You answered.

“(y/n)!” You heard Ivy from the other line. She sounded worried. “You wouldn’t believe what happened to Selina. She fell off a four-story building and is at Gotham General comatose. I’ve been trying to heal her since the doctors said that they can’t do anything -”

“Get to the point, Ivy” You sighed. 

“I left some plants on the kitchen table, mind bringing them to me?”

“Yeah. I’ll be on my way”. You hung up. First, Fries and Pike leave, then Oswald gets taken, and now Selina is in a coma. Great. 

 

You arrived at Gotham General with Markos, both of you holding pots of plants. Ivy waited outside Selina’s room. She called you over once she saw you. Smiling, she glanced at her plants. Going inside the room, you placed the plants where Ivy wanted them. It was then that the taller girl noticed Markos. “Who’s he?”

“My driver”. You smiled at the older man, turning to Ivy once again. “Don’t worry, he can be trusted”.

You stared at Selina. She laid there on the hospital bed, wires attached to her. You took a deep breath as you watched the girl sleeping. Ivy stood next to her friend, holding her hand, desperate for her wake up. “Don’t worry, Selina's going to wake up. With my plants here, she will wake up”.

“I’m sure she will” You smiled at the redhead. “In other news, Oswald is missing and Bridgit and Fries left”

“What?” Ivy placed her hands on her hips. “Well, what do we do now?”

“Just like how you’re waiting for Selina to wake up, I’m waiting for Oswald to show up”. You spoke in a stern voice. “Once he does, we’ll gather them again and get our revenge on Nygma”.

“But no one has seen him since he called out that ‘court’ or whatever” Ivy sat down. 

“Oswald was taken by them too” You pointed out. “Wherever those two may be at, I’m pretty sure they’ll figure a way out. In the meantime, can I count on you to remain loyal to Oswald?”

“Of course, silly” Ivy smiled. You returned the gesture and began to leave. “What are you going to do?”

“Anything I can do” You left the room, Markos following close behind you. 

 

Jerome watched as you played with a deck of cards in your hands. You brought a small radio, placing it on the table as it played a cassette tape you had. He remembered that it was something you always did when you had something on your mind. Listening to music and playing with cards was your way of relieving stress. The boy knew that you were having trouble with something from the moment you walked in. The snakes were awfully quiet today and it creeped him a bit out. “What’s on your mind, dollface?”

“Many things” You began to shuffle the deck. Jerome noticed how your eyes stared off into the distant.

“Like what?” You turned to stare at the boy in front of you. He had a small smile on his lips, and his eyes shone with curiosity. He leaned back onto his chair, legs on the table, hands behind his head. “I’m here to listen”

“It’s nothing of your concern” You went back to focusing on the cards. 

“Whatever is your concern, it’s mine as well” Jerome interrupted your focus once more. You sighed, placing the cards down on the table.

“One of my friends is in a coma” You began, your arms crossed on the table, looking out the window. “My brother is missing, the army he was building ran off because of it, and I have the feeling something is going to happen, I just don’t know what”.

“Hm. Well, I can’t help you with any of that” Jerome shrugged. You looked at him, grabbing the cards. 

“Of course you can’t” Jerome stopped you from playing with the deck. He held your hands, staring into you (e/c) colored eyes. 

“But I do know how to take your mind off it.” He got up from his seat, pulling you up as well. ‘ _Can’t Help Falling in Love With You_ ’ by Elvis Presly began to play. Jerome placed your right arm on his shoulder, placing his left hand on your waist while your free hands intertwined. He led you into a waltz while he began to sing along, not breaking eye contact with you. His voice was calming you down while you just continued to look into his green eyes. It was as if he was telling you not to worry. That everything was going to be okay. But you found that hard to believe. He’s Jerome Velaska. He’s a psychopath - a murder. He may say he loves you, but he’ll probably kill you one of these days. He can’t possibly think about saying such comforting words to you. 

You noticed how Jerome began to lean in. A part of you wanted to pull away, end this moment, but you didn’t. After all the conversations you had with him, after all the times you heard his voice speak about you with such infatuation, you couldn’t help but feel something about him too. The feeling is small, but still there. You felt like you’re as crazy as him for just letting that feeling take over you. 

Just like that day on the boardwalk, you didn’t push him away once his lips met yours. He knew that you wouldn’t. Jerome watched you relax around him throughout every visit. You weren’t afraid of him, you were afraid of having feelings for him. He knows that. You know that. But you still didn’t pull away. You let him kiss you. You didn’t kiss him back nor did you fight the feelings you felt for him. 

Once he pulled away, you noticed a smug smirk on his lips. You pulled your arms away. Stroking a strand of hair behind your ear, you grabbed your bag. “I think I should get going now”.

“Why so soon?” Jerome watched you call the guards. 

“I have things to do” You turned to him as the guards came in and began to pull him back. He noticed the look on your face. You looked confused and conflicted. 

“Why do I get the feeling I won’t be seeing you tomorrow?” He arched a brow as the guards roughly put his cuffs back on. 

“Because you won’t” You waved as you walked out of the room, the snakes following you. Jerome’s brows furrowed as he watched you leave. It reminded him when you first left him in the GCPD. How he called out to you, how you cried once you learned about his true nature, how you left saying nothing else. He hated that. He never wanted to see you like that again. He wanted to see you by his side once more.


	30. Fish Mooney and the Tetch Virus

**-slightly unedited-**

Looking outside the window of one of Oswald’s safe houses, you could hear the man throwing a tantrum behind you. Selina sat in a chair next to you while Ivy stood by the wall. Last night, Oswald had shown up at his home covered in blood. He explained to you and Ivy about how he escaped with Ed from the Court of Owls, and now the two of them are waging a war on each other. You still remember the look on his face when you had told him about Fries and Pike leaving. He was furious that the two people that could possibly help him fight Ed are now gone.

Right now, you busied yourself with what was outside. You didn’t have a deck of cards in your hands nor music, so you tried your best to forget the call you had early in the morning. It was a call from someone you never expected to hear from again. You would be lying if you said that your heart didn’t stop once you heard the female’s voice.

“What’s he so angry about?” Selina (who was now perfectly fine thanks to Ivy's plants) eyed Oswald as he shattered another decor piece. Her voice took you out of your thoughts. Shiba gave a low hiss at the young teen. 

“Oh, we hunted down these freaks -” Ivy explained. “- to help him destroy Nygma and Barbara.”

“Mm-hmm.” Selina hummed, still eyeing the frustrated man.

“We got this Freeze guy and your pal Bridgit, who does the fire thing.” Ivy continued. You turned to them.

“Wait, you found Bridgit?” Selina showed some interest now. “Where is she?”

“I don't know.” Ivy shrugged. “Pengy disappeared the other day, and she and Freeze figured he wasn't coming back, so they split.”

“Can you find her?” Oswald walked up to the curly haired girl. 

“Why?” You watched the Selina put her defenses back up.

“There is a war coming between me, Ed Nygma, and Barbara Kean.” Oswald glared. “I need my army.”

“What's in it for me?” You smirked at the girl’s sass. 

“My gratitude.” Oswald faked a smile.

“Hmm.” Selina thought. “Fine.”

Just then, there was banging on the door. Shiba hissed. _They’re here_. Your eyes shone yellow and you stood next to Oswald. Ivy was looking out the window. She turned to the three of you, a worried expression on her face. “Uh, you guys, we got company not the good kind.”

“Ivy, let's go.” Selina ran to the window the moment she heard the banging

“Well, I can't leave Penguin.” Ivy turned to her, gesturing toward the man.

More banging. Shiba snapped. Selina sighed. “Oh, suit yourself” She left through the fire escape.  
.  
“You do have a way out, right?” Ivy asked as you stood in front of both of them. Flicking your wrist, you wrapped the razor strings around your knuckles.

“Of course.” Oswald smiled. “This is a safe house.”

“Oswald!” The door slammed open, scaring Ivy. She hid behind Oswald as you glared at Edward and Butch. You waited on Oswald’s word.

“Edward.” Oswald greeted.

“No army of monsters, huh?” Ed pointed his gun at Oswald. He glanced at you, smirking. “You only have one. Such a shame.”

_Can I kill him?_ Shiba snapped at Ed. You smirked. “You want to kill him, or can I?” Butch walked around the three of you, glaring at Penguin specifically. 

“Wait.” Ed stopped Butch. “Something's wrong”.

“Oh, Ed” Oswald pulled out a remote. You stood behind him. “So smart.”

Oswald pressed a button on the remote, activating the shutdown mode on the house. While Butch and Edward were distracted by the alarms and the sound of the house’s lock down, Oswald dragged you and Ivy behind a secret door. The three of you escaped and ran out to the car. Markos waited for you and had the car ready to go. You can’t exactly go to any other safe houses. There’s only one place where Ed can’t find you. Ivy’s house.

 

Markos drove you back to the abandoned home. Oswald and Ivy went inside. You waited outside with Markos and handed him a burner phone. He looked at it as if it was a foreign object. The older man looked at you. You gave him a stern look. “If you see any trouble on your way back to Gotham, call the one number on that phone. Give her our location then end the call. Got it?”

“Yes, Miss” Markos nodded. You smiled at him as he got back in the car. You watched him as he pulled out from the driveway and left your sight. 

Walking back inside, you could hear Oswald grabbing a bottle of alcohol from the kitchen. He went to the sun room, sitting down on a chair. Ivy was taking care of her plants like always. You got Shiba off your shoulder and let her roam around. 

Half an hour passed. Ivy had answered a phone call that she got a few minutes ago. Oswald continued to drink while you played with Shiba. The three of you need a plan for your next attack on Nygma. Maybe you should’ve brought Sage and Jade along with you. 

“In the old days, loyalty meant something.” Oswald began. He was starting to get drunk. How strong was that alcohol? “Don Falcone, Maroni, even Fish. They had their faults, but they lived by codes. Ed Nygma, Barbara Kean they wouldn't even be allowed to sit at the same table as Don Falcone. And yet, here I am, forced to demean myself to do battle with them.”

“Yeah, people are dumb”. Ivy commented. You went inside the kitchen to grab some water for Oswald. “Plants are better. You can trust them.”

“I have no more safe houses.” Oswald continued. You walked back, and placed the cup of water on the table beside him. “No monsters. I will not run from Ed Nygma!”

“Well, actually, you have one monster. Not counting (y/n)” You gave a small glare at the redhead. Oswald looked at her confused.

“What?” Oswald asked. 

“Selina called.” Ivy smiled. “She found Bridgit. She's gonna bring her by.”

“You're joking.” Oswald stood up. “That's - wait. Why is Selina suddenly helping me? 

“I don't know.” Ivy wondered. “She was acting kind of weird. Asking where we were, did we have guns. I was like, ‘ pssh - We're all alone, duh’”.

“Ivy!/You idiot!” You and Oswald shouted. 

“It was a setup!” Oswald glared.

“No. No way.” Ivy doubted. “Selina would never do that. Well, unless they offered her money.”

Both you and Oswald groaned in frustration. _How old is this girl, again?_ Shiba hissed. You rolled your eyes. It’s fine. Markos would have already called back up. Before any of you could run or think of a quick plan, the door opened. Barbara, Tabitha, Butch, and Ed walked in. The green dressed man grinned. 

“Hello again, Oswald.” Ed grinned. Shiba snapped at the sight of Tabitha. You whipped out your razor strings again. Four of them vs three of you. They have guns and weapons. You have your strings and Shiba. They surrounded both you and Oswald. Ivy stood by her plants. You have to rely on Markos on this one.

“Hey” Oswald greeted, smiling. “You must be very proud of yourself, Ed, thinking you outsmarted me.”

“Well, frankly, it wasn't really a challenge.” Ed smiled. “Now, you're gonna do one thing before you die.” He pointed his gun at Oswald. “Call me The Riddler.”

“No.”

“You have a choice, Oswald.” Ed frowned. “This can happen real quick or it can take hours. Days. It will be - “

“I'll take option ‘B,’ Ed.” Oswald took a step closer to the gun. He showed no fear. “Since saying that ridiculous name would be torture itself.”

“Very well.” Ed pointed the gun under Oswald’s chin. “Slow and painful it shall be.”

“Uh, hello? Do I get no say in all this?” Barbara interrupted. 

“See how it feels?” Tabitha glared at the blonde. 

“Guys, you hear something?” Butch pointed out. The sound of tires screeching and car doors could be heard from outside. You smirked. 

“This is a trap?” Ed freaked out for a second. You walked over to the doorway as two gunned man entered. Everyone turned and paused. Their eyes widen in fear as they watched a woman walk in. The sound of her footsteps could cut the silence in the room in half. Her brown and blue eyes glared at the group. She walked with dignity and pride. 

“No, not exactly.” She spoke.

“Fish.” Oswald stood in fear.

“Hello, Oswald.” The woman looked at everyone. They were all frozen in place. “Now, see that there? That's a look of respect. Or is it fear?” 

“Hi-ya, Fish.” Butch smiled. “How you been?” 

“Well, let's see. I was alive and then I was dead.” She glared at Oswald. Ed glanced at him as well, knowing the relationship the two had. “And then I was alive. Things are looking up.” 

She looked at how everyone had their weapons ready. “My, my, my. Now, this is quite a gathering. You have to love Gotham. People always pointing guns at each other.”

“Why are you here?” Oswald asked. 

“You shall see.” Fish smirked. She turned to Ed. “And as for you, whoever you may be, please excuse us.” She placed her hand on Oswald’s cheek, stroking him. You noticed how he leaned back at her touch. “My little penguin and I will be leaving.”

She took hold of Oswald’s arm, shoving him away from the group. The three of you began to walk out of the house, Shiba following you. Fish glanced back at the group. “Please, carry on.”

“I’m sorry Oswald” You looked at him with apologetic eyes, taking his hands into yours. “It was the only way I could think of”

“Sorry, sweetheart” Fish stopped you from following her inside the car. Her goons shoved Oswald inside. “This is going to be only mine and Oswald’s time to catch up. You’re not involved”.

“But you promised -” 

“I know what I promised” Fish stroked your cheek, smiling. “Thank you for telling me where my Pengy was. Boys”

Her goons held you back as she went inside the car. Knowing better than to fight Fish, you cried out your apologies to Oswald as the car drove away. Letting out a sigh, you ran behind the house. A Harley motorcycle was hidden behind the bushes. You rolled it out, placing Shiba inside the pouch that was attached, got on and drove it. 

You followed Fish’s car as close as you could, but you eventually lost them. They must have noticed you. Stopping the motorcycle, you looked at each direction they could have gone. “Damn it”

 

Led Zeppelin played on your radio as you paced around your office. Your hands fiddled themselves with a deck of cards. Papers were stacked on your desk. The snakes lowly hissed as the door opened. Markos entered, sighing as he saw the state you were in. You noticed the look he had on his face. There was no need for him to speak, you already know what he’s going to say. There’s no way anybody would want to go up against Fish Mooney. 

“God, what did I do?” You served yourself a cup of whiskey. Normally, you didn’t drink but who cares right now? Oswald could be dead because of you. You chugged the whiskey down your throat, turning to Markos. “I messed up”

“I’m sure Mooney wouldn’t do anything to Penguin” The man reassured. “Those two go way back. She wouldn’t kill him”

You looked at him, telling him to rethink that statement. He averted his eyes from you. _Do not worry_. The snakes spoke. _Penguin will return to you safe and sound_. You sat at your desk, letting out a deep sigh. Placing a hand to your temple, you stared off into space. The photos of you and the circus on your desk made you want to smash everything around you. Now is not the time to be thinking about them. 

“Penguin is not the only thing on your mind, isn’t Miss” You looked up at Markos. Sighing, you leaned back on your chair. “What’s wrong?”

“I must be out of my mind” You placed the deck of cards down, holding one card. You stared at the Joker card. Remembering how Jerome stared at you while dancing sent goosebumps down your spine. You could still feel how warm his lips were on yours. How could they feel so warm? He kills people in cold blood. 

“Is this about Jerome?” Markos sat down on one of the seats in front of your desk. He knew of you from the moment he met you. Almost everyone in Gotham knows of you. They still remember how you begged Jerome to not kill the people at the Children’s Gala. Gotham may know you as Serpentine now, but you’re known as Jerome Velaska’s former lover as well. That would be something that would stay with you forever. 

“He’s insane. Psychotic”. You began. “He killed and tried to kill my friends. He’s caused chaos all around Gotham. I should be hating him with my whole being. I should be wishing that he’s dead. But then… then he shows me another side of him. A side that makes him looks sane. It’s only when he’s with me, and I know it could be a trick for me to side with him. So why am I feeling this way?”

“In my years of experience -” Markos spoke in a soft tone. “It’s extremely difficult to forget your first love. Now, mine may not have been a maniac who’s killed dozens of people, but it’s just the same. You’ll learn how to move on”

“And what if I can’t?” You took in a deep breath, trying not to let any tears form. Markos looked at you, not knowing the correct thing to say.

“Well, if you still find yourself to be in love with him - knowing that he won’t change his ways - I guess, you should find some sort of closure”. Markos tried his best to give you some advice. You gave him a small smile as he excused himself to leave. Looking back at the Joker card, you placed it in the trash can. You stared at the ceiling, trying to take your mind off of Jerome. It didn’t take that long since the phone ringing grabbed your attention. 

“Hello?” You answered.

“(y/n)” Oswald replied. “Don’t worry, I’m okay. Fish forgave me for trying to kill her, can you believe it?”

“Wait, what?” Your eyes widen. “W-Where are you?”

“I just got home. Come over quick”. Oswald hung up before you could reply. You scuffed. _Oswald isn’t dead, I’m guessing_. Jade hissed. _And here you were having a panic attack_. Sage mocked. You rolled your eyes and left, Shiba and Sage following you. _Kill some people for me_. Jade spoke just as the door was closing shut. 

 

Walking into Oswald’s home. You saw them torturing Hugo Strange. The tied up man had a device attached to his head. It was an electro-shock machine. Victor Fries was holding Strange to his chair so he wouldn’t move as much, meanwhile Oswald laughed at the man’s pain. They stopped once they saw you. Strange was taking deep breaths.

“(y/n)!” Oswald grinned, he gestured toward the machine. “Do you want to try it out? It’s really fun”

“I’d rather watch” You smiled.

“(y/n)” Strange smiled at the sound of your voice. “My favorite child. Please, tell Oswald that I will tell him anything he wants”

“I think I’ll let Ozzie play with you a bit more” You smirked. “It’s actually fun seeing you in pain. I now understand how you felt while I was being tortured”

Strange tried to apologize to you but Oswald pressed the button again. The man cried out in pain. You laughed along with Oswald at the sound of his screams. The four of you continued to torture Strange for a few more hours. The moment you got a call from Fish, you stopped and listened to what the doctor had to say. 

Fish came back to the house. She ordered for everyone to follow her, dragging Strange with them. You offered to go, but Oswald told you to stay behind. It was just in case it was a trap. He was only looking out for your safety. You know that. Sighing. You, Sage, and Shiba stayed around the house, doing whatever you want. When Ivy showed up, the two of you spent the time getting to know each other more. 

 

_"A citywide lockdown continues to remain in effect, with Gotham officials urging people to stay inside their homes as thousands of infected citizens continue their rampage through the city."_

Jerome watched the news on the television. The other inmates were causing a mess, making noise, fighting. It’s been days since you last visited him. He wondered what you were doing. Were you with your new friends? Did you find someone new to love? Those thoughts haunted him. The moment he heard the news, his thoughts vanished. 

He grinned as he heard about the mayhem that was happening around Gotham. This is what he wanted in the end. He knew that the citizens of the city wouldn’t resist their true nature. But he began to think about you. Did you get affected by the virus? What would it do to you? Are you killing people just like how he'd expects you to? Or are you hiding in one of your ‘brother’s’ safe houses. He wondered what sort of trouble you’re in at this very moment.

 

“We’re on our way”. You hung up the phone. Turning to the others, you told them what Oswald just said to you over the phone. He has Nygma in the back of a police car, unconscious. He wants you, Ivy and Fries to meet him at the shipping harbor. It’s the place where Nygma shot Oswald. He figured out a whole plan on how to trick Nygma and take him down. 

 

You waited behind one of the shipments, watching Ed pull Oswald toward the dock. The taller man held a gun the former mayor. They were talking. Nygma looks frustrated that Oswald wouldn’t say anything for his last words. Decided to just shoot the man instead of trying to talk to him, Ed looked shocked when no bullet came out. 

“I removed the bullets when you were knocked out.” Oswald took out the bullets from his pockets. They clinked as they fell on the ground. He then gestured toward you. “Right before I called them.”

You, Ivy, and Fries walked out from your hiding spot. The three of you glared at Nygma and waited on Oswald’s words. Shiba slithered around Ed. He looked up at Oswald, shocked that he was able to come up with his plan. Oswald walked toward the three of you. 

“In the backseat, the pin I used to unlock my cuffs?” Ed questioned. 

“My tie pin”. Oswald smiled. “I thought it should be personal.”

“You were just trying to make me think I had the upper hand.” The tall man glared.

Oswald chuckled. “It all fell into place.”

“How did you know that Barbara would show up at the warehouse?” Ed’s eyebrows furrowed.

“I didn't”. Oswald grinned. “If it wasn't for her, Gordon would have turned me over, and I'd most likely be dead. But fortune favors the bold.”

“You said you called them after you knocked me out. You knew that I'd bring you here.”

“I know you, Ed.” Oswald walked toward the man. “I may be driven by my emotions, but you are driven by something much more predictable: a desperate, compulsive need to complete what you've started in an exacting fashion.”

“Why didn't you just kill me, Oswald?” 

“You were the one time I let love weaken me -” Oswald glared. “- and I want you around as a constant reminder to never make that mistake again.”

Oswald walked back to the car, signalling to Fries. You followed Oswald as you heard Ed scream no. You smirked at the frozen man. Fries grabbed Ed and carried him to the car. Shiba slithered on top of Ed’s frozen body. You stroked her scales. The four of you began to make your way back home.

 

You played with a card in your hand. The gate door opened with a sound of a beep. Jerome walked in, whistling. He smiled at the sight of you. Pausing, he took notice that you didn’t have any snakes with you. He sat down, his arms on the table, his grin widening. Have you finally given into your true feelings? 

Staring at him, you placed the card on the table. Jerome glanced at it. He scoffed at the sight of the Joker face in the center of the card. “What is this?”

“Hopefully, my closure”. You smiled, crossing your arms. “I’m leaving Gotham for a bit. I already made all the preparations, packed my bags, said my farewells. I don’t know when I’ll be back, but…”

“Wait”. Jerome’s grin fell. You continued to smile as you saw his green eyes glare at you. “You’re leaving”.

“Yeah. I’m leaving”. You repeated. 

“Why?” He growled.

“I figured I need some time to figure things out”. You explained. “And Gotham, right now, is not the best place to do that”

“And where would you be going?” Jerome leaned in. 

“Like I’ll tell you that” You chuckled. Taking in a deep breath, you stood up, grabbing the card again. Jerome watched you walk over to him. You leaned in, sneaking the card under into his pocket shirt. You placed a small kiss on his temple. “Goodbye, J”

Jerome watched you leave the visitation room. You could hear him cry out your name, telling you to wait. It brought back memories to you both. Smiling, you put on black sunglasses. Markos waited for you outside with the car. You got in, taking one last glance at the asylum. _It will be alright_. Shiba slithered onto your lap. You stroked her scales as Jade and Sage went toward you too. This would be a fun adventure.


	31. Three Months

Children’s laughter could be heard from outside your window. They squealed as they played with Jade’s newborn snakes. She laid six eggs at the beginning of this month, and they hatched just last week. You took a few days to tame the babies to your will and now they know to follow your orders. That’s why the children could play with them with no care in the world. 

_So annoying_. Sage hissed, slithering onto your bed. Jade snapped at him for getting close to her. Shiba hissed at the two as they began to fight. You smiled at the three reptiles. The door opened, grabbing your attention.

“(y/n), would you please fold the dried laundry while I finish cooking lunch?” The nun Yoselin smiled at you. 

“Of course” You stood up and made your way downstairs. Entering the laundry room, you hummed as you began to do the chore Yoselin had asked of you. 

It’s been three months since you left Gotham. You wandered around for a bit before deciding to visit St. Rais orphanage. You’ve been there for about two months now. Yoselin was the nun you had met and she thanked you for everything you did when you arrived. The children loved to learn more about you and the snakes. They adored the idea of someone with abnormal abilities. Of course, you worried because you thought the orphanage wasn’t getting that much help but those worries vanished soon after. Yoselin had told you about how some people in the town nearby volunteered every few weeks.

“Lady Serpentine!” You turned to a group of children that ran up to you. The little girl you met, Amy, smiled at you. “Tell us a fortune, please?”

You took out the last piece of clothing, folding it and placing it in the basket. Smiling, you took out a deck of tarot cards. The children giggled as they followed you to the table. They surrounded you, telling each other to hush and shoving one another so they can see better. You began to shuffle the cards. 

During the three months, you began to pick up reading fortunes. Jerome may have filled almost all the gaps in your memories, but you wanted to pay homage to your circus days. You could have picked up snake dancing again, but you felt like you should pay respect to Mr. Cicero’s talent. 

“Who’s fortune are you going to read?” Amy asked.

“Mine/Read mine!” The others cheered. You chuckled as you began to place three cards on the table. 

“I’m trying to do something new” You smiled at them. “I’m trying to read the fortune of a whole city”

“Is it the city you came from?” Another child chimed. 

“Mhm,” You finished, looking at every one of them. “Ready?”

They nodded. Taking a deep breath, you began to flip the cards. The children notice your smile fall. Your brows knitted together as you examined the cards. The Tower. Judgment. Death. They glanced at the cards then at you. You weren’t saying anything. You continued to stare at the cards like they were from outer space. “What does it mean?”

“It means that I have to make a call” You stood up and rushed out of the room, taking out your phone. Glancing at the orphanage, you dialed Markos’ number. It ranged for a few seconds before he picked up. 

“Hello,” The man answered.

“Markos, how are things over there” You quickly asked. 

“Everything is fine” He stated. “The children and workers are handling everything just the way you had. Penguin has managed to control all the crime with the new licenses he’s been handing out. He’s even preparing for the grand opening of the ‘Ice Lounge’”

“And everyone else?”

“Tabitha Galavan has taken Selina Kyle under her wing” Markos continued. “Baraba Kean hasn’t been seen around for three months, she shot Butch by the way. The GCPD and mayor has been accepting of the crime licenses, everyone but Gordon”

“What about Bruce?”

“The boy is mystery himself”. He sighed. “It’s difficult to even get a glance at him. Oh! There’s one more thing. It’s not about the Wayne boy though”

“Continue”

“There’s been sightings of a masked guy beating the crap out of muggers. A few of the older children came back all beaten up after they tried stealing money and from a family that entered the narrows. They said that the guy took them all down with just his fists. There were five of them with pocket knives”

“Interesting” You hummed. “Okay. Inform me of anything that seems suspicious.”

“Yes, Miss” The two of you hung up. Taking a deep breath, you continued to think about the cards. _Something is going to happen to Gotham_. You looked down to see Shiba. _Something bad_.

“Most likely” You sighed. 

_Are we going to return?_ The snake began to follow you as you turned to walk back inside. _I think it is best to leave Gotham for good_. 

“You just don’t want me to be anywhere near Jerome”. You chuckled. Shiba hissed. “I don’t know if we’ll return just yet”.

 

The following days went by like normal. You would help Yoselin with the chores while the children go to school. The snakes will roam around freely until the children come back. Once you make sure that they have done their homework, you entertain them with the snakes or telling fortunes. When you have time for yourself, you would be in your room. You would usually read a book or file paperwork for the orphanage, but today you felt like doing something different. Today, you decided to go to the nearby town. 

You hummed as you walked around. Due to your physique, you don’t normally go to town. It didn’t surprise you to see people looking at you. You’re wearing black sunglasses and large (f/c) jacket with a black baseball cap. In a small town like this one, you would look suspicious. Not to mention that your bag has three snakes in them.

A bell chimed once you entered a small drug store. You looked around for some snacks. The snakes were hissing. _This store is boring_. Jade commented. _There’s no one around, except for you, the cashier, and that guy in the next aisle_. Sage noticed. _This is a small town in the middle of nowhere, what do you expect?_ Shiba glared at the two. You smiled and rolled your eyes. 

Going to the other aisle, you noticed the other person Sage mentioned. He wore a dress shirt with a velvet vest and a purple tie. His styled red hair reminded you of Jerome. It made you pause for a bit before shaking the thought of the maniac away. That guy isn’t Jerome. He wears glasses. Jerome doesn’t - _Jeremiah_. Shiba’s surprised voice took you out your thoughts. “Jerome’s twin brother?” You whispered.

The man dropped the two plastic bottles of vitamins he was holding. One rolled to you. You picked it up and handed it to the man. “S-Sorry. I just, uh, -”

“Jerome?” Your eyes widen as you looked at the man’s face. He looks exactly like the killer except for the scars. You shook your head. “No, he's... you’re Jeremiah?”

The man took a closer look at you. You smiled and took off your disguise. His green eyes widen and his jaw fell a bit. He glanced at Shiba then back at you. “(y/n)? Is that you? W-What happened to you?”

“That’s a long story” You sighed. 

“I’m guessing it involves my brother” Jeremiah’s eyes downcast. You remember the way Jerome described him. A scary cat nerd that did nothing but draw mazes all day long. He was the one person who turned everyone against Jerome. In his eyes, Jeremiah was trying to steal you away from him. But you don’t remember any of that. You only remember being friends with the two of them. Then once Jeremiah left, you grew closer with Jerome. Jerome was the one that you were romantically interested in, not Jeremiah.

“Your brother is an asshole” The redhead looked up at you. You had your arms crossed, an angry pout on your face. “Killing Lilia and my two friends, then trying to kill my other friends. And don’t get me started on all the other bullshit he’s done”

“Yes. I, uh, heard about that” Jeremiah looked at you confused. He never expected you to be hating Jerome. You were always seeing the good in his brother. Even when he warned you about Jerome being insane, you continued to love him the same way you’ve always been doing. You refused to go with him and stay with his brother. “And, um, what are you doing here?”

“How about we go and catch up so I can tell you?” You smirked. He smiled at you as you wrapped an arm around his arm. The two of you paid for your things and went to a cafe to chat.

You told him everything. He listened as you told him about Jerome’s schemes, how you ended up dead and coming back to life with new abilities, and everything else. By the time you finished, it was dinner time for the children in the orphanage. Jeremiah offered to walk you back. That way he can tell you what he’s been up to. 

He spoke about being sent to the St. Ignatius and changing his name to Xander Wilde. He was adopted by a rich kind couple, graduated from school and became an engineer, helping construct the Wayne Plaza with Thomas Wayne. You looked amazed when he told you about how he built an underground maze bunker. 

“You must seriously be paranoid of Jerome” You laughed. 

“Can you blame me?” He raised a brow.

“Hmm. I guess not” You shrugged, smiling. The two of you continued to walk in silence. 

“Do you still love him?” He asked, grabbing your attention. His green eyes downcast once more. The snakes could sense that he felt discouraged. Shiba knew that Jeremiah has had feelings for you since the two of you were children. Being that he’s not a psychotic killer unlike his twin brother, Shiba has always preferred Jeremiah over Jerome.

“I… don’t know” You turned to look at the ground. “It’s complicated. I don’t want to think about it”.

Both of you arrived at the orphanage. You turned to Jeremiah. His eyes lit up the moment he stared at the bright smile you had. You looked radiant with the sun setting in the background. “See you around, JJ”

“You remembered my nickname?” Jeremiah arched a brow.

“How can I not?” You smirked. "It was of the ways I could have told you and Jerome apart"

The boy watched you walk into the building. Yoselin and the children were waiting for you at the door. The nun waved Jeremiah. He smiled and nodded back at her. He watched you talk and laugh with the group of children as you entered through the door. How could the little girl he grew up with change so much but yet has not changed at all? You may have scales and these abilities, but you’ll still the same (y/n) that he met at the circus. 

 

“What?” You closed your bedroom door. Oswald has called you, telling you that the grand opening of the Iceberg Lounge is three days from now. He wants you to come to Gotham for it. “I can’t just -”

“I know that you left to figure some things out, but we haven’t seen each other for 3 months now. I want to celebrate this accomplishment with my little sister”

“You’re just saying that so I would I go”. You smirked at the sound of Oswald sighing. He hated that you saw right through him. “What’s the real reason you want me to go? You have Zsasz and a whole ton of bodyguards -not to mention, that you have Ivy as your right hand”

“Yes, but Ivy is nothing compared to you” Oswald whispered, making sure the girl wasn’t around to hear him.

“Ivy is perfect” You sat on your bed. “She’s loyal and knows how to brainwash people. What more could you possibly ask for?”

Oswald grunted. He knows that you’re right. You’re always right. He just wants someone he cares about to see his success. After his mother and Ed, Oswald could say that you're the only person he could trust his life in. You showed him love like his mother, and unlike Ed, you believed in him. You were just trying to get him to say that.

“It’s fine, Ozzie” You gave up. “I understand. I’ll be on the next train to Gotham by tonight”

“I’ll make sure to get everything ready for your return” Oswald smiled.

You hung up and fell on top of your bed, staring at the ceiling. Sighing, you got up and began to pack. You told Yoselin the moment she came back from grocery shopping. She supported your decision and the two of you began to make a feast for your last dinner in the orphanage. The children hugged and cried to you when they found out. They hugged you and the snakes tightly. You told them that they keep Jade’s babies for protection. 

“Momma snakes usually leave their young once their born” You stroked one of the babies’ scales. “I think it’s about time Jade leaves hers”

“But would they bite us?” Amy asked. 

“No, they won’t” You turned to look at all of the young black mambas. “They would stay loyal to you all and will listen to you and sister Yoselin”.

_Yes, ma’am_. The babies chimed. You smiled. The children made last-minute gifts for you. You hugged them all again when they gave them to you. Looking around, you thought about the time you spent here. It was peaceful. There was no one trying to murder you or anyone around. There was no need for you to run somewhere and kill someone either. 

 

Once you were on the train, you began to read some books and look at the gifts. Shiba rested on your lap while Sage and Jade laid in the basket bag you had on the floor. They looked up at you the moment they heard your phone ring. You closed your book, bookmarking the page you were on and answered your phone. 

“Hello?” You looked out the window.

“(y/n), hi” It was Jeremiah. “I, um, I got your number through that nun at the orphanage. She called me through your phone earlier and told me to stop by - telling me that you were leaving back to Gotham. I would have stopped by sooner but -”

“It’s fine, JJ” You smiled. 

“But why are you going back?”

“I’m just going to see that brother I told you about” You fiddled with your bookmark. 

“You mean that mob boss that helped you?” He questioned. 

“Yeah, he’s opening a club and wants me there for support” You grinned. “I’ll be back though. Don’t want Jerome catching a whiff of me in the city”

Jeremiah laughed. “Be safe out there”

“Always am” You smiled. Closing your phone, hanging up, you took a deep breath. Looking out the window, you rested your head on the glass, staring at the passing scenery. It’s been three months. Three months since you last stepped foot in Gotham’s streets. Knowing the sort of things that go on there, can you be positive of only staying there for a week or two? You just hope that nothing will happen.

But that hope soon vanished on the night of Oswald’s grand opening.


	32. Scarecrow

Music blasted through the former Siren’s nightclub. Now it’s called the Iceberg Lounge with a frozen Edward Nygma as its centerpiece. You had your arm wrapped around Oswald’s. The two of you were smiling and greeting the guests. The people mainly complimented you and congratulated Oswald on his achievements. You had thought that Ivy would also be with the both of you, but she mainly stayed with Zsasz. 

When you arrived at Gotham, Markos had picked you up from the train station. You visited Oswald first. The two of you spoke about the plans for the grand opening. He even filled you in on about the licenses. Though you didn’t quite agree with it, you smiled at him and told him that you were proud of what he was doing. After that, you had visited Serpentine’s and caught up with the children, snakes, and employees. You’ve missed them so much. The children have grown up so much throughout the three months you were gone, even the employees have gotten stronger. The snakes nuzzled with you in your bedroom, not wanting to leave your side. 

But right now is not the time to think about how much has changed in the city. Right now, it’s Oswald’s time to shine. You looked around the club, blankly staring at the guests. You paused when you saw two familiar faces. A smile formed on your lips as you stared at them. Looking at Oswald, you leaned into his ear to tell him about your friends. 

“Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth are here” He turned to you as you stared at him. The man looked to see where the two were standing. He excused the both of you from the conversation he was having with another important guest. Both of you made your way toward your friends.

“Mr.Wayne, Mr. Pennyworth.” The two guests smiled at you and Oswald. “I am so glad you could make it.”

“It's our pleasure.” Bruce smiled. “Congratulations.”

“Hello Bruce, Alfred” You smiled at the two. 

“Hello Miss (l/n)” Alfred greeted you back. Bruce smiled your way. “It’s nice to see you looking well” The four of you chuckled. Alfred then pointed at the frozen monument of Edward. “We were just admiring your frozen mate.”

“Is he still alive in there?” Bruce asked. 

“I fear we may never know.” Oswald lied. You stayed silent and looked at him. 

“Well, you'll know when you finally thaw him out,” Bruce spoke. Oswald’s eyes widen a bit. He feared for a second that Bruce knew what he had done to Edward. But that soon vanished when the boy continued to talk. “When they discover a cure for his disease.”

“Oh, yes. Then, of course.” Oswald nodded, smiling.

“I wanted to personally thank you for everything you've done for this city.” Bruce congratulated Oswald like the rest of the other boring guests.

“Thank you, Mr. Wayne.” Oswald nodded his head.

“So can I ask about the licenses?” You glanced at Bruce. Why would he want to know about that? 

“Uh, a little discretion, if you would, Master Bruce,” Alfred commented.

“Everybody's talking about it, Alfred. I just want to know how it works.” Bruce gave a glance at his butler. He then turned back to look at Oswald. “So, does someone come to you and say ‘I want to rob a bank’?” 

You and Oswald laughed. “Now, Bruce, if I didn't know any better, I would think that you wanted me to implicate myself.” Oswald grinned.

“Anything you say stays between us,” Bruce reassured. You continued to eye him, trying to figure out what his motive is.

“First, let me ask you would be agreeable to the idea of licensed crime?” Oswald asked, taking a step closer. 

“If crime had been licensed and controlled three years ago, my parents would still be alive,” Bruce responded. You took a deep breath, knowing how that topic is sensitive for the boy.

“Exactly so.” Oswald grinned. “Well, between us, I have nothing to do with the licenses directly. I provide the guidelines while Mr. Penn handles all of the details. Now would you excuse me?” 

“It was nice seeing you again” You smiled at them one last time before following Oswald. You didn’t need to turn to them to eavesdrop on their whispering, you just needed to activate your powers again. Bruce is after the list of criminals. Smiling, you continued to celebrate the grand opening while keeping what you heard a secret.

At a certain point, Oswald left you to deal with a group of criminals that don’t have a license. You stood by the bar, having a drink while dodging most of the people who tried to come up to you. It’s bad enough to be in Gotham for more than a week. People can talk about you and the word can spread to Arkham, to Jerome. With what you told him when you left, he’ll be wanting to see you while you're here.

But there was another thing on your mind. The tarot reading. The tower, judgment, and death. The symbols remain fresh in your mind. Their meanings occupy your thoughts, trying to figure out what Gotham’s near future is going to be.

The tower. Destruction. Loss, ruin, dramatic change, unexpected events, new start. Judgment. Change, decisions, success, transformation, upheaval. Death. The end, loss, destruction, new beginnings, dramatic change. In basic terms, Gotham is going to face an unexpected event that would seem to be like the end of the city and it would cause massive destruction and loss, but it will end with a new beginning that will bring forth a huge change to the city. You worry that Jerome might be part of it.

Your thoughts vanished as the doors to the kitchen opened. Oswald entered with his bodyguards, Zsasz, and the group of criminals that he was talking about. His guards pushed the criminals down to their knees, pointing their guns at them. Everyone turned to him.

“For the past three months, I have given this city a tranquility it has never known. Now I would like to ensure that peace for the future.” Oswald began. “In the weeks to come, you will hear whispers about what's happening in the streets of Gotham. All you need to know is without me this is what you get. Men who want to bring fear back to our city, who promise a return to the old days. So tell your families, tell your friends, it is Oswald Cobblepot who keeps them safe, not the GCPD.” He turned to the group. “What's going to be done to you?” 

“Wait!” Bruce yelled. “I want to know what you're going to do with those men.”

“You need not concern yourself with that,” Oswald responded.

“Are those men going to be turned over to the police?” Bruce continued to stall. 

Oswald chuckled. “Earlier tonight, you thanked me for making the city safer. Now, how do you think that happened? I do the dirty work no one else will.”

“I understand. But I'm asking you, turn those men over to the police.” You smiled at Bruce’s persistence.

“You're young. You have a good heart.” Oswald smiled. “No.”

All of a sudden, there were gunshots. The lights turned off, and people began to run out of the room and yell. You rushed told Oswald’s side as someone sprayed him with a sort of toxin. The GCPD entered and began to arrest the group Oswald was about to shoot. You began to hold him as he cried for help. Turning to Jim Gordon, you looked at him, wanting to know what exactly was happening. 

 

The next day, you were reading the Gotham Gazette’s article that called Oswald a chicken. You rolled your eyes and threw the newspaper in the trash. Oswald’s footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. You watched him storm into the living room, calling your name. “(y/n)! What happened to me?!”

“Jonathan Crane” You sighed. “His father made a toxin that makes one sees their worst fears. They sprayed you with it”

He grunted and rushed out of the room. You placed your hand on your temple. _This is going to be a long day_. Shiba slithered onto your lap. You sighed and took a sip of your whine. 

You spent the rest of the day at Serpentine’s, dealing with some of the work there. Everything was running smoothly as you dealt with any of the problems the business was having. You were in your office when Markos came in with urgent news. “Miss, there’s a problem.”

 

You stormed into Oswald’s home. He was in the living room with Zsasz. The two turned to you as you ordered Markos and a few of your men to grab the bags in your bedroom. Oswald stood up and walked toward you. 

“W-What’s going on, (y/n)?” Oswald asked as you turned to him.

“Jonathan Crane just caused a riot at Arkham” You glared. “I’m leaving, now”.

“What? Why?” Oswald moved to stand in front of you. 

“Why? Have you forgotten that my ex is _IN_ Arkham?” You pushed passed him. 

“Of course not” Oswald followed you with Zsasz close behind. “I just don’t see the reason why that means you have to leave. They’re not even in the same section”

“It doesn’t matter”. You walked outside to the car, helping Markos place your bags in the trunk. “There’s a riot in that asylum and I don’t want him to even know that I’m back here.”

“Are you sure that it’s because you just don’t want to confront him about your feelings?” Zsasz spoke.

You turned to him, glaring. Oswald glanced at him before turning to you. He didn’t know you still had feelings for your ex. After all the things you told him about Jerome, how could you? “Wait, so you’re leaving because of some stupid feelings you have?”

“I have no stupid feelings!” Closing the trunk of the car, you sighed. The two men noticed how frustrated you looked. You banged your fists on the car. “You just don’t get it, Oswald.”

“Get what?” Oswald’s brows knitted together.

“Love!” You turned to him. “You froze the one person you fell in love with because they didn’t love you and tried to kill you because you killed his girlfriend. What I felt for this guy was true love and it was destroyed because he revealed his true nature of being a psychotic killer. And I… I don’t know what I feel for him right now. But what I do know is that if there’s a chance of him getting out, he’ll take it - and once he’s free, he’ll come after me and he’ll kill my friends”

You took a step closer toward Oswald. “I have to leave, Oswald. I don’t want to see him right now”.

Oswald and Zsasz stayed in silence. You got into the car. Markos drove off. The snakes moved to your lap, trying to calm you down. You stroked them while looking out the window. Closing your eyes, you took in a deep breath.

 

_The sound of a guitar strumming and humming resonated throughout your trailer. You were sitting on the other side of the couch, knees to your chest, arms wrapped around your legs. Jerome was playing one of your favorite songs on the guitar. He began to sing the chorus. You smiled. He stopped when he messed up, chuckling. You laughed. He turned to you, placing the guitar down, and scooted over toward you. You placed your knees down and wrapped your arms around his neck._

_‘That was beautiful, J’ You kissed his cheeks. ‘I can’t believe you learned how to play so fast’_

_‘Anything for my kitten’ Jerome unwrapped your arms from his neck to kiss your knuckles. You kissed him once more. You gasped when he wrapped his arms around your hips, pulling you to sit on his lap. He smiled as your hands played with your hair. Pulling away to take a breath, your foreheads touched one another, both of you smiled. ‘I love you so much, (y/n)’_

_‘I love you too, J’ You looked into his green eyes. His smile widened as he pulled you into another kiss._

 

A tear fell from your eye as you opened your eyes. The memory made you think of how much Jerome has changed. He went from a boy who loved you, worshipped you, to a boy that would kill your friends for just being close to you. You sighed. 

“Markos, change of plans. Go to the safe house that’s just a few miles outside of Gotham”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I didn't post last week. I started college. Gross. Anyway, double update today.


	33. Haunted

You hummed as you drank a cup of whiskey, flipping the tarot cards you have placed on the coffee table. It’s been almost three months since you left Gotham and went to live in your safe house. The house is in the middle of the woods just on the outskirts of the city. The only person who knows that you’re here is Markos. Everyone else believes that you left the city once again. Of course, all of the snakes also know about your whereabouts. They act as your eyes and ears.

A few of the snakes from the club wander around the crime-filled city and report anything out of the ordinary to you. They’ve told you about Ed’s and Barbara’s return, the arrival of a man named Ra’s Al Ghul and his interest in Bruce, and about Don Falcone’s daughter, Sofia Falcone. 

Swallowing the last sip of alcohol, you placed the cup down on its coaster. You stared at the tarot cards. The hanged man, justice, and the world. You let out a deep sigh. _(y/n)_. Shiba’s voice rang through your head. You turned to her as she made her way on the sofa across from you. _Coatl has spotted Butch Gilzean coming out of Slaughter Swamp_. 

_Isn’t he suppose to be in a coma?_ Jade questioned from her spot on the edge of the couch you sat on. _Apparently, the hospital he was admitted to was in the need of room so they dumped him_. Sage answered. _And what’s worse is that the swamp is filled with toxic waste from Indian Hill_. Shiba hissed. 

“Keep track of him” You spoke, restacking your cards. Sage left to relay your message. “Any other news?”

_Sofia Falcone is being persistent on meeting with Penguin_. Jade spoke. _She plans on inviting him to lunch_.

“Keep me updated on that” You got up to place the cards in their box. 

_Another thing -_ Shiba hissed, following you _\- Basil has been hanging around the fighting clubs in Gotham and said that Lee Thompkins is seen working there as a doctor_.

You put the box in a drawer, locking the compartment with a key. “That’s interesting. When did she return?”

_Who knows?_ Jade slithered toward you. You hummed as you began to think. No news on Ra’s and Bruce, huh. Walking toward your bedroom, you glanced at your snakes. They stopped following you to look at you. Without saying anything, the two snakes turned around to wait for Sage to return. You smiled and had your bedroom slightly open for them to enter in later.

 

_Knock knock_

The snakes turned to the direction of the door. You glared at the entryway, grabbing the knife you were using for your breakfast. You slowly walked toward the door, waiting to hear another knock. Instead, you heard a female’s voice.

“Miss (y/n) (l/n)?” You paused at the mention of your name. “I’m Sofia Falcone. I came to ask you for a favor”

You opened the door just a bit, hiding the knife from the woman. Your eyes turned yellow to warn her not to mess with you. She took notice of your scales and snakes. A smile quickly appeared on her lips. 

“How did you know where to find me?” You glared. 

“I am a Falcone” She restated. “May I come in?”

“I think I like you right where you’re standing” You refused. “Why are you here? Does this have something to do with my brother Oswald?”

“Actually, yes” She continued to smile. “I want to help him have a hundred percent control of the crime in Gotham and I’m hoping that you’ll help me”

“Let me guess, he doesn’t trust you” You smirked. Her smile fell, telling you that you're correct. “Oswald doesn’t trust easily, especially when it comes from someone with your name. He told me all about the Falcones. How do I know that you’re not trying to regain the city from him? Hmm?”

“I understand the concern” Sofia pulled a strand of her hair behind her ear. “But I truly just want to help him. If the people see that I, a Falcone, supports him, then he’ll have the respect and loyalty of everyone” 

“And how do you wish to do that?” You raised a brow. “Are you going to invite him for lunch or something?”

“How did you -” The snakes hissed, grabbing the woman’s attention. She glanced at them.

“I may be hiding, but I have my eyes and ears in Gotham” Your smirk grew, grabbing her attention again. She chuckled, her innocent smile fading. 

“I underestimated you, Serpentine” She tilted her head to the side. 

“You’re not the first” You placed the knife under your shirt, hiding it as you stepped outside to talk to her. Crossing your arms, you took a deep breath. “So how can I help?”

“You’re going to help me then?” Sofia smiled. She was sure that you were going to decline her just like Oswald.

“I don’t trust you at all. You’re a good liar.” You put your hand up. “But… if it can help Oswald, I’ll do it”

“Thank you so much” You frowned as she continued to act like your friend.

“Yeah, whatever” You rolled your eyes. “So, what do you want?”

“Do you so happen to have Ms. Cobblepot’s family recipes?” Sofia questioned. You uncrossed your arms as you looked at her. She continued to smile at you. 

 

Another week goes by. The snakes had informed you about how Sofia Falcone is planning on opening an orphanage. Once you found out about it, you had sent a message to Markos. There are some orphan children under your care and you figured that some of them would like it better there than your club in the Narrows. You had smiled when Markos replied, saying that the children remain loyal to you and choose not to go. It made you want to go visit them.

As the days go by, you continue to stay in the house, spending it by reading books, talking to the snakes, and reading tarot cards. Every time you do a reading on the cards, you feel as if you should warn someone. The cards tell you about the downfall of Gotham, and if you told someone that, they would ignore you. No one in Gotham will believe your words. 

You sighed. “Maybe Jerome would have believed me if he wasn’t crazy already” You muttered. 

That’s another thing that has been happening lately. Jerome has been on your mind. You’ve finally regained all of your memories, even the ones that Jerome had told you about. You remember who you are. You remember the pain and fear you felt when Jerome revealed his true nature. Looking back at those memories, you began to hate yourself for being weak. Maybe it’s because of your abilities that you feel stronger, or maybe it’s because you have come to terms with your past and feel confident about the torture you’ve been through. Who knows? What you do know is that you don’t feel any fear toward anyone.

Laying on your bed, you read the novel of Jekyll and Hyde. The distinct personalities of the man reminded you of Jerome. The ginger boy can be kind and caring just like Dr. Jekyll, but he can also be violent and evil like Jekyll’s other persona, Hyde. Sighing at the thought of Jerome, you placed your book down on your lap. “I need to stop thinking about him”

Before you continue to clear your thoughts, your cell phone rang. You grabbed it and looked at the caller id. Jeremiah.

“Hello” You answered the phone. 

“(y/n)” You heard Jeremiah’s voice on the other side. He sounded relieved to finally hear your voice. It felt like a whole year since the two of you had talked. “I just visited St. Rais to see if you had come back, seeing that I haven’t heard of you in months now, and the nun said that you’re still in Gotham. What happened?”

“Some business problems came up”. You lied. “Plus, I have some other things to settle here”

“Are those things your feelings for my brother?”

“W-What?” You choked. 

“You could hide your feelings, but you can’t hide them from me... or Jerome” Jeremiah had taken a deep breath before saying his brother’s name. It’s not a lie that the glasses-wearing boy envied his brother for winning your heart. But even if he loves you, you love Jerome. You would side with the maniac no matter what. Jeremiah has come accepted that, even if he despises his brother.

“I…” You let out a sigh. “I’m crazy, aren’t I?” 

“You’re not crazy, (y/n)” Jeremiah shook his head. “You’re in love. You’ve been in love with him since you were thirteen”

“I say fifteen” You huffed, a smile forming on your lips.

“No, trust me. You were thirteen” Jeremiah smiled. “You may have not noticed it, but everyone else did”

“Yeah, I didn’t hide it that well” You chuckled as you remembered how you glared at any girl who tried to flirt with Jerome. 

“No, you did not” The redhead laughed. 

“But still… he’s insane” Your smile fell. “He killed your mother and caused chaos all around the city. A normal person would run away from that type of person.”

“You’re not normal, (y/n)”

“Wow, thanks for the encouragement there, JJ” You heard Jeremiah laugh at your sarcasm. 

“You know what I mean” Jeremiah spoke in a comforting tone. “You speak to snakes, have scales on your skin, hell, you’re the adoptive sister of a mob boss. The life you lead before wasn’t even normal either. You were in the circus and dated a psychopath”

“Hey, I didn’t know he was a psychopath”. You retorted. “So my life was normal before” 

“Fine, but you shouldn’t blame yourself for falling in love with him” Jeremiah advised. He hated to talk to you about this topic, but he knew you needed to feel better about yourself. He just wished you had gone with him instead of staying with Jerome. “The two of you were together for a long time. It’s difficult to just forget those feelings”

“Even if you say that, I don’t think going out in public with a maniac killer would look good”

“And since when did you care about others’ opinions?” You heard Jeremiah laugh.

“I don’t.” You rephased. “I just don’t want to ruin my brother’s image and seem like a fellow killer in Gotham’s eyes. The people here love me, I can’t ruin that image”

“Wow, you have become a mob boss” This time you let out a laugh. 

The two of you continued to talk about random things. He told you how he’s been doing since you left, and you told him Gotham has been keeping you busy. You felt bad for lying to him. Jeremiah has been one of the only few kind people you’ve met in such a long time. You didn’t want to lie to him, but it’s safer that way. You’d never know who’s listening or watching in the shadows.

 

_Circus music played in the background as you walked around the fair. Jerome had his arm wrapped around your waist. The two of you were laughing as you walked toward the 'Drop-A-Punk' game. Your boyfriend let go of you to try the festival game. You cheered him on. He threw the ball directly at the target, the bells chiming as the ‘Punk’ fell into the water. You clapped and grinned as Jerome handed you the grand prize._

_“Man, it must suck cleaning that mess up” You heard a passerby say. Looking at the tank of water, your eyes widen at the sight of Bruce bleeding to death. His blood filled the tank, causing his dying body to disappear from your sight._

_“What’s wrong, doll?” You glanced back at Jerome. His perfectly unscathed face was now scared with staples to keep his face from falling. A large grin was permanently laying on his lips. His usual charming voice turned raspy due to the scar on the side of his throat. “Don’t you like your present?”_

_“Of course I do” You watched another version of yourself hug him. That version kissed his cheek before wrapping her arm around his. “Let’s go kill that Jim Gordon at the balloon game”_

_“Whatever you wish, darling” Jerome chimed. Both of your laughter began to echo around the fair. The Bruce's blood began to replay in your mind, his and everyone else in the fair_.

 

You gasped, jumping awake. Taking deep breaths, you looked around your bedroom. A dream. It was just a dream. You sighed. 

_“Was it?”_ You jumped at the sudden voice. Jerome stood in the corner of your room. He was wearing the same thing from the night at the boardwalk. He chuckled as he walked toward you. _“What’s wrong, love? Miss me?”_

“You’re not real” You spoke. “You’re in Arkham, there’s no way you can be here”

_“That’s right”_ You turned to the other corner of your room. Another version of Jerome gently smiled at you. His face was intact, no scratches or scars, and he wore the same clothes he had that first night you came to Gotham City. _“This is all in your head, doll”_

“Now I’m seriously going crazy” You looked down at your lap, your hand entangling your hair.

_“You’re not going crazy, love”_ Nice Jerome grabbed your attention again. _“We’re just illusions that are processing your thoughts out loud to you.”_

_“Guy got a point”_ Scarred Jerome looked at you. _“We’re only saying what you truly think of us”_

“And what’s that?” You glared. “Because I’m pretty sure I hate you both at this very moment”

_“But you don’t hate the real Jerome”_ The scarred hallucination chuckled. He began to circle the nicer version of himself. _“You love him with every fiber in your body because he was the first person to have ever become your friend. He understood you unlike everybody else in that damn circus. He listened to your thoughts and could be able to read you like an open book. No one else can do that.”_

_“Plus, he’s your one true love”_ Nice Jerome added. _“You even knew that there was something more to him than what he showed in the surface - something dangerous. You were there when he would pull his pranks on Jeremiah. You knew that Jeremiah was always right about Jerome being a maniac, but you still decided to stay with him. You were attracted to that side of him. You’re attracted to every side of him.”_

“No you’re wrong” You began to shake your head in denial. 

_“You love him, admit it (y/n)”_ Scarred Jerome grinned. _“You love the way he holds you, how his arms feel warm and protective over your body. You love that he just has to stare at you to make you smile, to make you melt in his presence. You love the way he makes love to you, you love the thrill of all the torture he puts you in before ramming himself into you and fucks you like there’s no tomorrow.”_

“No! Get out of my head!” You shouted.

_“Admit it”_ The two illusions spoke in unison. _“You love Jerome. Admit it”_

Their words began to repeat in your mind as images of your time with the ginger-haired boy filled your head. Your hands gripped your scalp, your eyes closed shut as you continued to deny every word. Glancing over to your bedside table, you grabbed your lamp and thrown it toward the hallucinations. The lamp shattered when it hit the wall.

Silence.

You looked at the broken lamp and where the two images once stood. Breathing heavily, you pulled your knees to your chest. Hot tears streamed down your face. You didn’t even bother to notice that the three snakes had slipped into your room.


	34. Close Call

_A little girl laughed as she ran around the small playhouse in the backyard. Looking back at her home, she grinned at her parents. Her father rushed to her, smiling, and began to chase her. He took hold of her and swung her around. Their laughter sounded like a soft symphony to your ears. The afternoon sun shone brightly on their ginger hair._

_The beautiful scene began to vanish. The little girl’s laughter still resonated around you. You were in complete darkness. A young ginger man stood before you, a large grin scattered on his lips. “My, doll, you’re growing beautiful every day”_

_You stared at Jerome in silence. The little girl from before appeared once again. She stood next to your ex-boyfriend. Jerome held her hand. Her ginger hair braided to relax on her left shoulder. Her (e/c) colored eyes reflected your own, quickly shining a bright yellow. She has patches of green snake scales on her skin like yours. She smiled at you._

_“Isn’t mommy lovely, sweetheart?” Jerome looked at the little girl._

_“Mommy!” The little girl let go of Jerome’s hand and rushed to hug you. The moment you felt her hands wrapped around your legs, you felt a tear slip down your cheek. You pulled the girl off of you and looked up at Jerome._

_The red-haired boy was now holding a baby boy in his arms. You took a step back as Jerome began to pull the girl back to his side. The three of them smiled at you. “What’s the matter, (y/n)? Don’t you want to hold your children?”_

_Shaking your head, tears falling down your cheeks, you began to run away from the three of them. The little girl called out to you as Jerome laughed. “Mommy! Where are you going?!”_

_You stopped when you saw older versions of the girl and the boy. The girl was now a teenager and the boy was just a few years younger than her. Their hands were covered in blood, along with the knives they’re holding. The boy smiled at you. “Mommy, why are you running?”_

 

You woke up in bed, sweat covering your brow. Letting out a deep breath, you sat up. The snakes hissed beside you. _Good morning._ Shiba slithered onto your lap. You gave her a small smile and stroked her scales. Getting up from the bed, you began to get ready for another day in your safe house.

It’s been a week since you last had a dream of Jerome. You haven’t seen any hallucination of him since then. The snakes continue to tell you everything that is going on in Gotham. From the police killer Pyg to Martin, Oswald’s newfound friend. They also suggest that you should go outside for a bit, but you refused. _You look weak, (y/n)_. You glanced at Jade. _Go outside for a bit._

“I don’t want to risk myself getting noticed” You muttered as you went to the bathroom to wash your face. Once you looked at your reflection in the mirror, you jumped at the sight of Jerome. You blinked and the illusion was gone. Sighing, you went into the kitchen.

As you made your cup of coffee, you heard your cell phone ring. Seeing the caller id, you picked it up. “Ozzie, it’s good to hear from you”

“(y/n), I need a favor from you” The man spoke quickly. He sounded worried.

“Anything you need” You grabbed your cup and went to sit in the living room.

“I would like it if you can take care of certain little boy” Oswald began to explain. “His name is Martin. He doesn’t talk so he won’t bother you in any way. It’s difficult to explain but -”

“It’s fine, Oswald” You smiled sadly. “I’d be happy to meet him. Send someone to take him to Markos’ and he’ll bring him to me”

“Thank you, (y/n)” You hung up the phone and turned to the snakes. “We’re going to have a guest”

 

You spent the day like it was any other. By nightfall, you heard the doorbell ring. You smiled once you opened the door. Markos stood behind a little boy who carried a notepad around his neck. You hugged the older man. “Serpentine, it’s great to see you”

“Markos, always a pleasure” You turned to look at the child. “And you must be Martin, I heard a lot about you”

The boy wrote something on his notepad. ‘From Penguin?’ He then looked at the three snakes that slithered around you. You smirked. 

“I heard about you from them” You gestured for the child to enter. Markos took the boy’s belongings to one of the guest rooms. You took the boy into the living room. “Do you know who I am?”

Martin took a moment to draw a simplified version of your club’s logo. You smiled. “That’s right. I’m Serpentine, but did you know that I’m Oswald’s sister and most trusted friend?”

The boy nodded. Shiba made her way onto Martin’s shoulders. He jumped but soon relaxed. You smiled and stroked the female snake. Markos came back into the room. He bowed. You hugged him one more time. The two of you bid each other goodbye. 

“Let me show you to your room” You held the boy’s hand.

 

As the days went by, Martin noticed the way you would talk to the snakes. He noticed how you would wake up in the early hours of the morning and yell at your reflection in the bathroom. Then in the morning, you were good as new. That was until the night. You would cry and scream, and one night, in particular, Martin woke up to the loudest scream he ever heard.

“No! No! J!” You cried. Martin slightly opened your bedroom door. You were moving about, eyes closed shut as tears trailed down your cheeks. “J… please…”

He watched as the snakes went to comfort you. They hissed and you began to calm down. You whimpered in your sleep. Martin walked toward you. He stroked your shoulder and you woke up. “Martin…”

He continued to pat your shoulder. A small smile formed on your lips at the gesture. Your eyes felt heavy as you drifted off to sleep again.

 

The following afternoon, when everything seemed to be going just fine, you collapsed on the kitchen floor. Martin heard the noise and rushed to your side. Jade and Sage stayed by your side as Shiba went to the phone. The boy noticed and called the number that was placed on the fridge. Within an hour, Markos was in the house and you were laying on your bed.

“Mar...kos?” You stirred. The man and Martin were standing beside your bed. Your three snakes laid on top of you. They were hissing at you, but you couldn’t hear them. “Wh-What are you saying, Shiba? Jade? Sage? Markos, why can’t I hear them? Why can’t I-”

“Calm down, miss” Markos placed his hand on your shoulder to calm you down. “You collapsed earlier”

“But I can’t - agh!” You cried as you felt a stabbing pain in your chest. The snakes were hissing even more at Markos. Your eyes turned yellow for a split second. _Help - er._ You gestured to where your phone laid on your dresser. "My phone... call T"

Martin rushed to grab your phone and handed it to Markos. He looked through your contacts until he reached the person you mentioned. A woman picked up. The moment you heard Markos speak, you fell back to unconsciousness. 

 

_Lilia stood in front of you. Beside her, stood Xander and Taylor. They were smiling at you. You cried at the sight of them. “It’s okay, (y/n)” Lilia spoke._

_“Wow, (y/n), you’ve changed a lot,” Xander commented while pointing at your scales._

_“Everything is going to be okay” Taylor took a step toward you. She grabbed your hand. “We’re right here with you”_

_“Am I… dying?” You looked at them._

_“Don’t worry, it’s not painful” You turned to Lilia. She stood to your left, patting your back._

_“We’ll be together again” Another voice grabbed your attention. Xander took a step aside as two figures made their way toward you. Your eyes widen at the sight of them._

_“Mom… Dad…” You muttered._

_“My baby, look how you’ve grown” Your mother cried._

_“You’re beautiful.” Your father held his wife close. “We’re so sorry for leaving you at such a young age”_

_“You've suffered so much but I’m glad that you managed to find people that love and cherish you” Your mother hugged you. “We love you, (y/n)”_

_You cried and hugged her back. Closing your eyes, the sudden images of your friends back in Gotham came to your mind. Jerome came to your mind. You pulled away. “I… I can’t”_

_“What?” Taylor went to stand next to her brother. They looked at you confused._

_“I can’t go yet” You gulped._

_“Why?” Xander arched a brow._

_“Because she has unfinished business” You turned around to see Jerome standing a few feet away from you. You ran to him, wrapping your arms around him. He held you tightly._

_“I’m sorry, J” You whispered. “I’m sorry for everything. For pushing you away, for leaving, for denying my feelings, I’m sorry”_

_You then turned to Lilia and the rest. “I have to live. I just… have to.”_

_“We know” She gave you a small smile. “Go to him”_

_“Be safe, love” Your father nodded his head at him._

_“Remember that we’re all watching over you” Your mother shed a tear._

_“Kick his ass for us though” Xander chuckled._

_“And if he dares to hurt you, we’ll haunt him for you” Taylor gave her brother a side hug._

_You nodded while chuckling. Looking at Jerome, he placed a small kiss on your forehead. You held his hand as the two of you began to walk away from the group._

 

Your eyes slowly opened. You found yourself in a dimly lit room. The grey concrete walls and the uncomfortable bed indicated where you were. Arkham Asylum. 

The door opened. A nurse entered, smiling to see that you were awake. You sat up at the sight of her. Her strawberry blonde hair was tied to a bun, and she looked about in her early thirties. “Hey, Trish”

“You know, just because I was one of Hugo Strange’s head nurses and was the only nice one to you it doesn’t mean that I wanted to see you here again” She checked your vitals. “I was expecting to get a call from you so we can meet up during my days off”

“Sorry. I kept your number in case of emergencies” You smiled at her. “I figured this day would come. So, you think you fix me?”

“Of course. I was Peabody’s assistant” She smiled at you. You heard hissing from the corner of the room. “I brought them here for your comfort”

“Thank you” You smiled at the snakes. _Martin is okay._ Sage hissed. _Markos took him to another safe house outside of Gotham._ Jade informed. _He also informed Oswald._ You sighed in relief. “Thank god. I can hear them again”

“That means you’re healing, but I suggest that you stop using your powers for a few days” Trish sat next to you, handing you a vial of a green drink. “This would help you stop hearing the snakes just until you fully recover”

“But how would I know what’s going on outside?” You took the vial from her hand. 

“If you need to know, I’ll tell you” She smiled. “You know how much I love to gossip”

You let out a small chuckle before drinking the vial. The snakes hissed and you no longer heard their voices. You gave the vial back to Trish. She patted your shoulder as she made her way to the door. “Also don’t worry about being caught or anything. This room is in solitary and Velaska is in the next wing.”

“Thank you for this” You spoke to her as she closed the door. Looking at the snakes, you shrugged. “You wanted me to get out of the safe house” The snakes hissed.


	35. Proposal

You sipped your cup of water as Trish checked your vitals for the day. Shiba was snuggled on your lap while Jade and Sage snapped at each other on the ground. It’s been four days since you’ve been taken to the mental prison. You have wanted to wander around the halls for a bit, but Trish had told you that you weren’t strong enough to walk yet. You’ve been bedridden since then. 

“Oh, that’s right!” You stared up at the strawberry blonde woman. She looked at you, not sure of how to say the news to you. 

“What is it?” You patted the space near you for her to sit. 

“It’s about Penguin, you’re… brother” She spoke, placing her hands on her lap. “You see, I don’t know the full details, but Don Falcone has been murdered and his daughter was shot. People think it was Penguin who did it since he waged a war with Falcone’s daughter.”

“He wouldn’t have done it” You shook your head. “Oswald has much respect for Don Falcone. The man taught him everything. He couldn’t have possibly killed him”

“Yes, but I’m afraid that’s not all” Trish fiddled with her fingers.

“What happened?” You urged her to continue. The blonde was taking her time, scarring you. You know that it involves Oswald. Is he dead? Did Sofia kill him? Was it about your club? Martin? The children? What was it? “Spill it out, Trish”

“Captain James Gordon has arrested the Penguin and he arrived here a few hours ago” Trish finally said. You looked at her, your breath knocked out of your chest. The peaceful day you were just having has just turned into the worst. You began to think of all the possible ways this could have happened. In the end, you just blamed yourself.

It was Sofia Falcone that did this. You know that. From the moment you heard she came to Gotham, you knew that she was planning to take down Oswald. If you hadn’t given her Gertude’s goulash recipe, Oswald would have kept his guard up with her. If you had just warned Oswald about her. If you had just denied Sofia that day. 

“I need to see him” You pulled the covers off of you. Trish pulled you back. “I need to see him”

“You can’t” Trish got up as you pushed her away to get up yourself. She held you by the arms so you don’t fall. “You can’t even stand yet”

“Please, Trish” You begged. 

“But-”

“I need to see him” You repeated once more. Trish looked into your puppy dog eyes. Sighing, she nodded. You hugged her. She giggled and helped you get ready to see you adoptive brother. “Only for a few minutes. When I say that it’s time to go, you go. Okay?”

“Yes, ma’am” You smiled. She rolled her eyes, smiling wide. 

Oswald got up from the ground the moment he heard his door opening. He was ready to yell at the guard that was coming in but was surprised to see you standing there. A nurse helped you inside as you rolled in an IV bag with you. “(y/n)? What are you -”

“Oswald, I’m sorry” You let out, falling to your knees. “I betrayed you. I… Sofia Falcone had come to me when she first came to Gotham. She asked me about your mother’s recipes so she could… so she could get closer to you. I knew that she wasn’t good news but she… she said that what she was doing is going to get you the respect from the people who follow the Falcone name so I… I gave her the goulash recipe. If I hadn’t, you wouldn’t have fallen into her trap. I’m so sorry, Oswald. I betrayed your mother’s memory. I betrayed you.”

You looked up at Oswald. He was staring at you with a face full of confusion. “I know I shouldn’t be asking for a second chance or your forgiveness, Oswald, but please. I’m your most loyal minion, and I promise - on my parents’ graves, on my friends’ graves - that I would stay loyal to you until I die. I’ll be at your beck and call. Please. I even brought a knife with me so you can lash out on me. But I beg you, Ozzie, let me still be your sister. Let me remain by your side”

“(y/n)...” Oswald continued to stare at you. Then the sound of familiar laughter grabbed your attention. Your eyes widen and you got up by using the stroller of the IV bag to lift you. 

“Jerome?” You looked around the room. 

“Down here, sweetheart” You glanced down at the vent that was placed on the bottom of the wall. Looking at Oswald, you knelt back down to look at the red-haired boy. He grinned at you. “Nice to see you again, dollface”

“Time to go” You heard Trish say. You gestured to her to give you a few more minutes, forgetting what you promised her.

“(y/n)” Oswald grabbed your attention again. He gestured at the IV bag. “Wh-What’s with this? Why are you here? What happened?”

You got up to stare at him. “I’m dying, Ozzie…” You choked on a sob. “I… I have a friend here - the nurse - that used to work in Indian Hill and she's… she’s healing me. I’ve been bedridden for the past couple of weeks. Oswald, I only came here to apologize. If you choose that you no longer want me by your side, go ahead and kill me. I don’t want to live knowing I lost my brother, my mentor, over this”

Both you and Oswald stood in silence. He took a deep breath and shook his head. “There’s no need to apologize, (y/n). Although you were in the wrong when you gave Sofia my mother’s recipe, you don’t deserve to die.”

“You’re forgiving me?” You asked in disbelief. It’s not like Oswald to just let someone that helped his enemy to walk freely without stabbing them. 

“You are the only family I have, (y/n). You may just be the only true friend I have” He placed his hands on your shoulders. “The person to blame is the GCPD - especially James Gordon - and Sofia Falcone, Zsasz too. That bastard betrayed me and put me here”

“Then I should help you bring them to their graves” You smiled. 

“But first, focus on your health” Oswald grinned. “Get back to your old self and get me the hell out of here”

“I promise” Trish came into the room to help you out. You waved bye to your brother, glancing at the vent. Jerome was laughing again. You looked back in front of you. “I see why you didn’t want me to see Oswald”

“Yeah” Trish patted your shoulder.

The sound of your door opening grabbed both yours and Trish’s attention. The door to your room slammed opened and you were face to face with Jerome Velaska. The two guards that stand in front of your room were gone. The snakes rushed to your side as Trish stood in front of you. “You’re not allowed down here, Velaska”

“It’s okay, Trish” You got up and put on your robe.

“You sure?” The strawberry blonde looked at you.

“Leave us” You fixed your hair while looking at the rusty mirror your cell has. The snakes moved to the corner as the nurse left. Jerome eyed her before turning to you. “How’d you get down here, J? I’m in solitary. Not many are allowed down here unless you did something bad”

“I didn’t do anything” Jerome glanced at you up and down. The IV bag was still attached to you but you no longer needed help walking about. Your (h/c) hair grew longer and when your eyes had turned yellow, it was no longer the beautiful bright color it usually was. It was a dim version of the color. You turned to him. He noticed that under your robe you wore a short black silk nightgown.

“You know, love” He took a step toward you. His arms behind his back. You stared at the prison uniform he wore. It was like a reminder to you that he's here for being a killer. “I came here because I wondered why you had only come to see Penguin? You didn’t even say anything to me. I feel hurt”

“Don’t take it personally” You hummed, walking toward your bed. “Oswald is my brother. He was the first person to care for me when I had no memories. He even helped me remember who I was and saved me from being killed. I owe him my life”

“You remain loyal to him” Jerome looked at you as you sat on the bed. 

“Yes, that’s right.” You nodded, repeating, “He’s my brother”

“And I’m your boyfriend” Jerome hissed, sitting next to you. His right arm was placed behind his back while the other stroked your face.

“Ex-boyfriend” You glared, not bothered by how close his face was to yours. “I don’t quite remember getting back together with you”

“Really? Then I guess I took that night at Galavan’s the wrong way” He whispered as he pressed a kiss to your jaw. His breath tickled against your skin. You pulled away just a bit so you could look at his face. 

“You know, J” You stroked the scars on the ginger’s face. “After seeing Jeremiah again, I found out something interesting about myself”

“Jeremiah?” You watched as Jerome’s eyes flickered with a burning hatred at the mention of his brother. “You saw him? When?”

“When I was away from Gotham, we ran into each other.” You smirked. “But this isn’t about him”

“Then why mention him?” The ginger boy tilted his head.

“Because while looking back at it” You began. A small smirk formed on your lips. “I realized that most girls wouldn’t be so into the whole face-cut-off thing, but I… I don’t seem to mind it all. I quite like it”

Jerome didn’t say anything next. His lips met yours as his hands moved to caress your hips and thighs. He didn’t exactly expect you to kiss him back. Your arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. Hands entangling his red hair, you maneuvered yourself to sit on his lap. He pulled away, smirking when you bit his bottom lip. A trickle of blood appeared on the spot you bit him. You licked the blood off, licking your lips. Jerome growled.

Just as he went to kiss you again, you pushed him away. You got up and went to the door. “Nurse says no physical activity other than walking for me. Come back in a couple of days”

Jerome laughed and went to you. He pulled you back into a kiss. This time his tongue made its way into your mouth. He kissed you with such passion and desire, and you kissed him with the same amount of force. His hands stroked your hips, knowing that you would lean into him. But this time you didn’t. You knew that if you did, Jerome wouldn’t leave. You pulled away from him, panting for air. “Don’t go killing Oswald for fun”

“Don’t worry, love. We’ll see if he can entertain me for a bit” Jerome kissed your forehead before leaving your room. 

You touched your forehead. The memory of you crying at the circus came to your mind. You remember how he had kissed your forehead to make you feel better. His arms had wrapped around you in a tight hug. In a soft voice, he promised to protect you. 

The snakes were hissing. You may not hear them, but you can figure out what they were talking about. You ignored the fact that you felt the heat rushing to your cheeks. Shiba shook her head and hissed at you. You rolled your eyes and went to lay on your bed.

Two weeks passed and Jerome was once again in your room. Since his first visit to you down at your cell, he’s been constantly seeing you during the late hours of the night. The moment the two of you were alone, his lips crashed onto yours. You giggled when he lifted you and led you to the bed. He put you gently onto your bed, pinning you down. His hands roamed around your body as he continued to kiss you. You moaned into the kiss. The way he touched you as if you were a masterpiece of art was one of the many things that you missed. He slipped the robe off of you and began to pull the silk nightgown off as well. Your own hands began to remove his prison uniform as well. He grunted as you bucked your hips against his. You smirked at his reaction.

“Mmph” You felt Jerome choke you as he bit your throat. It was a tight hold but not tight enough to kill you. Your hands played with his hair as he began to kiss you on your chest. You were fully nude underneath him while he only wore his boxers. He had taken a moment to look at your body, memorizing all of the places where snakes scales replaced your (s/c) tone skin. You were even more beautiful in his eyes. How you continue to become so with each passing day is beyond him.

His licked your nipples, taking the mounds of your chest into his mouth and massaging them. You moaned as he began to grind against you. His lips moved to kiss you, slowly moving to your jaw, then at your ears. His hot breath tickled you as he groaned against your touch. You moved your hands from his hair to his erect member. 

You knew how much he had missed this. He missed the way you touched him. Just as he knows how to make you break under him, you know how to make him go crazy with just a flick of your fingers. Jerome moved to kiss you again. One of his hands massaged your breasts as the other played with the folds between your legs. 

“J-” You moaned at the feeling of three of his fingers entering you. Your legs wrapped his waist to pull him closer. “J… please…”

Your hands pulled his boxers down. The moment Jerome felt your fingers touch the skin of his erection, he hissed your name. He stopped playing with your folds and adjusted himself against you. He would normally do more foreplay, but he needed you just as much as you need him. It's been so long since the two of you felt one another. You wrapped your arms around his neck just as he thrust into you. A loud moan escaped your lips but was quickly shut by Jerome kissing you. 

His tongue fought for dominance against yours. He grunted as your nails dug into his back. You moaned into the kiss the more his thrusts became harder. The two of you fell into a rhythm. His lips left yours and he began to trail kisses on your throat and collarbone. You felt him bite down on the sensitive part of your skin on your neck. You gasped when he flipped your position so you were on top of him.

You smirked and began to straddle him. His head tilted back as you rode him, groaning in pleasure. The feeling of his hands stroking your thighs and hips made you moan. He began to push you down, making you take all of him in. “Jer..ome”

“Say my name more” He kissed your throat. You met his lustful gaze and kissed him. You didn’t want this moment to end. It didn’t feel like the Jerome was an insane killer that's locked up in a mental asylum. It didn't feel like you were taking treatment for your dying body. It felt like you were both spending the night together back in your trailer at the circus. It felt like old times. 

His lips left yours and trailed down your throat to your chest. As he began to kiss and bite down onto your erected nipples, lightly choke you again. His other hand wrapped around you, making sure you continued to match the rhythm of his thrusts. Your moans began to get louder as Jerome began to thrust harder and faster into you. You felt yourself close to coming. Jerome stopped choking you and gripped the back of your head, pulling you into a kiss. You tilted your head back, causing him to kiss you on your neck. 

The two of you called each other’s names as you came. You felt him fill you up with his load, mixing with your orgasm. Your nails had dug deep into his back, leaving red marks. He bit down on your shoulder - where a patch of snake scales laid. Coming down from your high, Jerome pulled out of you and you fell on top of him.

You hummed as Jerome stroked your back and covered both of your bodies with the bed covers. The two of you stayed that way for a while. Closing your eyes, you began to remember the dreams you had when you were away. 

“Jasmine and Jacob” You muttered. Jerome looked at you. You lifted your head a bit as your hands went to stroke his red hair back to place. Your eyes met his and you gave him a small smile. “Those were the names we planned on giving our children”

“You remembered” He smirked. You hummed, nodding your head.

“We planned on having one child first then wait two years for another” You placed your head on his bare chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. You felt him trace circles on your back. Lifting yourself just a bit again, you (e/c) eyes met his green ones. “I remember”

“I remember everything now, J” You continued. “There’s no more gaps in my memory. When I… When I collapsed - before I came here - I had a dream. I… I saw my parents, your mom, and my friends Xander and Taylor. They had… came to me, saying that it was time, but… as they were with me, I remembered all of my friends here in Gotham. I remembered you. Everyone else mattered to me, but it was you that brought me back. That was when I knew that even… even if you are a killer, I still have feelings for you”

“So it took another chance at dying to make you finally submit to me” Jerome chuckled.

“Hey-” You playfully slapped him, only for him to look at you with a serious expression. It wasn’t an expression you’ve ever seen on him before - well not recently. You’ve only remembered seeing him look at you like that one time. When he confessed his feelings to you.

“(y/n)” His raspy voice got you to sit up. You held one of the bedsheets to cover you up as you stared attentively at the redhead. He took your left hand and stroked your knuckles. You watched as he brought your left hand to his lips. “I know that this is going to sound very unlike me, and I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to do this - mainly because of how much you hated me and well, you know me - but now that I know that you can accept me as I am…”

He reached into the pocket of his prison uniform. You gasped when you saw him pull out a beautiful engagement ring. It was a simple ring, nothing expensive, but instead of a diamond, the ring held a beautiful green emerald gem in the center. You looked back at Jerome. 

“(y/n), my doll, my love, would you marry me?”


	36. Time

It’s been four weeks since Jerome proposed to you. You hadn’t said yes to him, but you didn’t say no to him either. You had told him to give you time to think. It was a shock that he agreed with you, but he let you hold onto the ring. You stare at the piece of jewelry every night before you go to sleep. You had always thought that when Jerome proposes to you, the two of you would be at the circus or have gone to live somewhere else. You never thought it would be in a mental asylum. You also never thought of Jerome to be a lunatic that enjoys killing people. The last thing Jerome said to you rang through your mind.

 

_“I’m not saying, no” You stroked Jerome’s cheek, kissing him. “I’m… just asking for some time. Please.”_

_“Okay,” Jerome stroked a strand of your hair behind your ear. His hand slowly moved to caress your cheek. “Just know that I love you. I’ll always love you”_

_His lips slowly met yours. With such a simple gesture, you knew that the ginger boy has you wrapped around his finger. Hell, he’s the only boy you’ve ever been with. You can’t bear to part with him anymore._

 

“That’s…” You stared at Trish. She was giving you your final check-up. You were finally strong enough to move about and use your powers. You were healed. The snakes lowly hissed. _Get this over with so we can go home_. Sage hissed. 

“What’s wrong?” You noticed how Trish looked at her clipboard. She was just checking your recent blood tests. Was there something wrong? Is your blood now venomous instead of being an antidote? If so, you would have to do some experiments when you get home. The way Trish's skin turned pale out of shock scared you just a tad bit.

“Well,” She coughed before staring at you, regaining her composure. “Congratulations, (y/n). You’re going to be a mother”

The glass of water you were holding slipped away from your grip, shattering and scaring the strawberry blonde nurse. The guards had come in to make sure everything was alright. The snakes were looking at you, frozen in shock. Your eyes widen as you continued to stare at your friend. 

 

It was late in the night when you were leaving the Arkham. Markos had come to pick you up and was waiting just outside. The guards were taking your luggage to the car while you went to bid your goodbye to Oswald. As you were walking to his cell, you stopped at the sound of a group of people cheering. You made your way toward the noise, shocked to see the sight before you.

Oswald, who was bleeding from his cheek and nose, was beating up Jerome. The group turned quiet as the former mob boss kicked their leader. “Try laughing now, you ginger sap!” Oswald yelled. “Yes!”

“See? I told you I’d cure you!” Jerome laughed, grabbing the Penguin’s attention again. 

“Don’t flatter yourself!” Oswald glared as Jerome sat up.

“One more” The redhead begged. Oswald didn’t hesitate to kick him, making the boy you love bleed even more.

“What is going on here?!” You grabbed everyone’s attention. Jerome continued to laugh as you walked toward them. You ignored him and went to check up at your brother first. 

“(y/n)...” Oswald’s eyes widen slightly as you placed your hands on either side of his face to get a better look at his injuries.

“Ozzie, what did they do to you?” You turned to Jerome as he got up, glaring. “I told you to leave him alone”

“You told me not to kill him, and I didn’t” The redhead corrected you. “Penguin, here, was moping around ever since he came here and I just wanted to help him get out of his slump”

“And that involves harming him?” You crossed your arms over your chest. Jerome smirked as he saw you wearing the engagement ring. It was a symbol that you belonged to him. The fact that you're wearing it gives him the idea that you're going to accept his proposal. 

“Oh, come on, dollface” He stroked your arms, taking your hands into his. “Don’t be like. We were just getting along”

Oswald and the rest watched as he kissed your hands. Your adoptive brother noticed the ring on your wedding finger. Sighing, you pulled your hands away and turned to Oswald. You wrapped and arm around his and the two of you began to leave the room. You glanced back at Jerome. “Come, Ozzie. I have something to tell you in private”

“Be safe out there, darling” You heard Jerome.

 

“(y/n)” Oswald spoke when the two of you were finally alone. The two of you were walking back to Oswald’s cell “Where did you get that ring? Did that freak proposed to you?”

“Yes, and before you even ask, I haven’t given him an answer yet” You fiddled with the ring. “But that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about”

“What is it?” Oswald stood in front of you. You couldn’t look at him in the eye. Instead, you looked at the ground as your hands went to caress your stomach. 

“I’m… pregnant” You looked at him through your eyelashes. It took him a moment to register what you had just said. Once it did, his eyes widen in fear. You continued to speak before he could shout. “Jerome doesn’t know and I don’t want him to - at least not yet. I… I want to figure out my answer to his proposal first”

“But (y/n), this is… this is crazy” Oswald looked at you in shock. “You’re too young to have a child and this is - wait. You slept with Jerome?!”

“Ozzie, please” You shushed him. 

“You don’t plan on keeping it, do you?” He lowered his voice.

“Of course I do” You hugged your womb in defense. “Look, I know Jerome is a maniac but that doesn’t mean this child would be like him. I know J. I know what caused him to turn out this way, and I’m going to make sure this baby wouldn’t experience the same torture as he did”

Oswald sighed, shaking his head. “God, (y/n)”

“Oswald, I didn’t just come out to see you so I can tell you this” You took hold of the man’s hand. He noticed your serious expression. “I’m fully recovered now and that means that I’m leaving. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to get you out. I promise”

The two of you shared a hug before you had to leave. Oswald watched as you left the hallway of his cell. His mind wandered to the news you had just given him. You’re pregnant with Jerome’s child and he proposed to you. Does the crazy psychopath have some humanity in him? That sounds unbelievable. But then his mind wandered to the letter Ed left him. He grinned as he remembered what the letter entitled.


	37. Meeting with the Queens

Stepping out of the car, you looked at the building before you. _Welcome home._ You heard snakes hiss as you walked inside. Both customers and employees looked at you. Markos was the first to come up to you. “Welcome home, Serpentine”

“Are… Are you going to be staying this time?” The boy Jerome’s goons held hostage walked up to you. 

“For as long as I can” You smiled. He returned the gesture as the other children ran to hug you. You laughed and told the customers that their drinks are on the house. Everyone cheered at your return.

 

“Since our establishment is in the Narrows, we have been working with the Doc” Markos spoke while you looked over the papers in your office. 

“Yes, I heard Lee Thompkins is this so-called ‘Doc’ of the Narrows” You didn’t look up from the paperwork. _People love her_. Coatl hissed. _They call her the queen of the Narrows_. Veil made her way around your desk.

“The queen of the Narrows?” You repeated, arching a brow.

“Ah. That’s right, but -”

“It’s okay, Markos” You stood up to serve yourself a cup of tea. “Gotham has a way to give people titles. Oswald is the Penguin. Sofia Falcone is the new queen of Gotham. Doctor Lee Thompkins is the queen of the Narrows. Bruce Wayne is the prince of Gotham, and I… I’m Serpentine, the queen of snakes and the princess of Gotham”

You turned to Markos. “Get me a meeting with the Doc.”

“Right away, miss” Markos bowed and went his way. The snakes hissed. _What of the fortune that the cards warned you about? Are you going to kill the Doc? What of Sofia Falcone? Let’s kill her_. You ignored their comments and continued to work.

The following day, you met with the former M.E. of the GCPD. She sat across from you at your desk. Two bodyguards stood behind her. You were quite surprised to see the new gothic look she changed into, but you liked it. Markos served the two of you cups of tea. 

“I heard that you were back.” Lee took a sip of her drink. “You’ve changed since I last saw you”

“And so have you” You placed the drink down on its coster. “Queen of the Narrows”

“Does that offend you?” She leaned back.

“No.” You smiled. “I’m fine with my titles.”

“Then why invite me?” She tilted her head to the side.

“Because you run this place now.” You leaned in, hands intertwining. The emerald ring shone underneath the lights. The piece of jewelry did not go unnoticed by the doctor. But she knew better than to ask about something unrelated to the topic at hand. “I just want to greet my new boss”

“I’m not your boss” Lee’s eyes met yours. 

“There’s no need to be on guard with me, doctor” You smiled. “We both want the same thing. We want to make the Narrows safer for the people who live here, for their children. That’s why I made this place both a shelter and workplace for street kids. Let’s forget our titles and become partners”

Lee stared at your outstretched hand. You noticed the hesitant look on her face. If the moment had dragged longer than it did, you would have given up. Thankfully, the doctor took your hand. With a firm handshake, the two of you made a deal. Both of you would stay out of each other’s way while helping make the Narrows stronger and better for its residents. 

That night, after Lee and her guards left, your office doors opened and you saw Sofia Falcone staring down at you. Placing your pen down on the desk, you got up and smiled at her. “Sofia Falcone, what can I help you with this time?”

“I had heard you came back” She took a small stroll around your office. Her eyes gazed and lingered at every object that decorated the room. “I know we don't know each other that well, and I'm sure you heard about mine and Oswald's failed friendship. I just wanted to tell you that no matter what you may think about me, I can assure you, your brother did kill my father. So if you had come back to avenge him, I would think wisely about it.”

“As much as I do not believe that Oswald killed Don Falcone, I’m not here for that” You shook your head, making your way around your desk to stare at her. “I’m here because of another reason. It’s much more personal”

“Like what?”

“Hm... Let’s just say I’m making amends with my former lover” You sat on your desk. Her green hazel eyes lightly glared at you, causing you to let out a small chuckle. It was clear that she didn’t believe you. “You see, Sofia, unlike everyone else, I couldn’t care less about your family name. Your father was a mentor to Oswald, that is why I don’t believe he killed him. You, on the other hand, are a different story. But who am I to judge?”

You walked back to your seat behind your desk. Some of the snakes were hissing at the mafia boss and her guards. “Don’t worry about me trying to take your throne or whatever you think I’m doing. I’m just working and taking care of my portion of the city. So, please leave. I have a lot of work to catch up to”

Sofia didn’t say anything more to you. She just eyed you as she left. You know she doesn’t trust you, nor do you care. You have more important matters to take care of. Turning on the radio, you hummed along with the song while stroking your slow-growing womb.

 

_In the interest of public safety, we have decided to share the footage, so in a moment, the video we are about to show you is a tape received this morning. And again, let me warn you, it is very disturbing._

You looked at the television. Customers and employees were all focused on the news that was playing. It has been a week since you met Lee Thompkins and Sofia Falcone. You spent that week catching up with work and figuring out ways on how to get Oswald out of Arkham. Of course, you didn’t forget about the child growing within you and Jerome’s proposal. But right now, your focus was on the breaking news that played on the screen before you.

‘ _Plants love us. They give us food, shelter, the very air we breathe. And what do we do in return? Kill them._ ’ A young woman appeared on the screen. Plants surrounded her in the background. The video was glitching throughout the entire time it played. Though she looked different, she seemed familiar to you. _Ivy_ , Shiba hissed near your ear. ‘ _Because that’s our nature. We cause pain. Everyone I’ve known has only hurt or betrayed me. Maybe I’ve always known in my heart what I needed to do. But I finally have the power to do so. I’m giving your city back to the plants, starting with the people who hurt me. So if that’s you, your time is coming._ '

The video finished and you turned back to everyone. They were whispering, wondering what was going on. They turned quiet and looked at you. Their gazes told you that they were waiting for you to give orders. For you to tell them what to do. You clapped your hands together. “Don’t worry about what that lunatic just said. I’m sure the GCPD is already on the case. Have a little faith in them.”

“And if they’re not?” Someone shouted.

“Trust me. I’m sure they’re chasing her down as we speak” You reassured. “She’s not even after none of you right now. You’re safe”

The people took your words into account and continued with what they were doing. You walked toward your office, leaving Markos and the snakes to supervise. Shiba, Jade, and Sage followed you. _We should find Ivy before she does something reckless to the city._ Jade hissed. You didn't say anything. You already knew that there are only a few people Ivy would go after. One of those people is you. Whether or not the reason would be for help or revenge was still a mystery to you. Both you and Ivy are friends. She wouldn't kill you. Would she? Stepping into your office, you gasped when you saw Ivy standing behind your desk. Well, that was quick. She looked at you. “Hello, (y/n)”

“Ivy” You sighed. “Are you here to kill me?”

“Why would I do that?” She smirked. “Unlike Oswald, you were my friend”

You smiled at her, feeling relieved that your thoughts were right. Her features had matured even more. She looked older than how she previously looked. What exactly happened to her? Whatever it was, you knew that she felt some sort of pain that would cause her to threaten the whole city. “I won’t ask for what you’re after or why you’re doing this.”

“You’re not?” Ivy looked at you, a bit surprised. 

“No” You walked to grab a drink and serve it to her. She took the glass cup from your hand. “I have faith that the GCPD will stop you”

Ivy chuckled, shaking her hand. “Always playing the good girl”

“It’s called having morals” You smirked. She eyed you as she took a sip from her drink. “What do you want?”

“You’re friends with that Wayne kid” She placed her glass down on your desk.

“You’re after Bruce” You glared at her. It doesn't matter if its friend or foe, you instinctively go on defense mode when someone threatens your friends. “And what? You think that coming after his friends would help with your evil plan?”

“No. I’m just wondering if I can have a bit of your snake venom” She looked through your stack of paperwork. “It’s essential for what I’m working on”

You stopped her when she reached your pregnancy files. Ivy’s blue-greenish eyes looked into yours. Her smirk angered you just a bit. What does your venom have anything to do with Bruce? You let go of her wrist and went to the bottom drawer of your desk.

“What type are you looking for?” You pulled out the vials of all sorts of snake venom. Each of them was labeled by the names of your snakes and the species.

“Deadly. Extreme” Ivy looked at the vials. 

You ran your finger through each one until you reached Sage's. You know that shouldn't give her the venom. But something tells you that if you don't, she'll attack you. Though you would regret playing a part to Ivy's plan on going after Bruce, you can't risk having something done to you for your child's sake. Taking it out, you gave it to Ivy. You then opened another drawer and took out a vial of your blood. The redhead looked at you as you gave her that vial as well. 

“You’re going to need the antidote” You pointed at it. Ivy placed the vials in her pockets and began to walk out. You eyed her as she left. 

“Thanks for the cooperation” Ivy waved.

 

You walked into your bedroom, closing the door shut behind you. The snakes were snuggling with each other on your bed. The club was closed now, and the children slept peacefully in their rooms. As you got ready for bed, your phone rang. It was a number you didn’t know. “Hello?”

“(y/n), how are ya?” A man grinned.

“Nygma?” Your brows furrowed. You got up and went to your bed. “How did you-”

“Before you finish that sentence, I got a message for you from Oswald” 

“Oswald?” You were even more confused now. “What the hell is going on?”

“That’s a long story, but to make it short, we’re working together to take down Sofia Falcone” Ed grinned. 

“Then I’m all ears” You huffed. “What’s the message?”

“It’s time” You smirked at the words.

“Understood.” You went back down to your office. You stayed there the entire night, continuing your call to Ed. You told him about Martin and the two of you devised a plan to bring the mute boy back. You had known that Sofia had taken him around some point. The fact that she did so made your hatred for her grow.

It wasn’t until three days past that you got to see the boy again. Ed had brought him to you right after rescuing him. Martin hugged you and Ed went to break Oswald out of Arkham. You took Martin’s hand and took him out to the back of your club. Shiba was the only snake to come with you. Martin stroked Shiba as you drove him to another one of your safe houses. You smiled at him as you noticed him drifting off to sleep. When you got to the house, you woke him up. Shiba wrapped herself around his shoulders and the two of you entered the house. After giving him a tour around the house, you made lunch for him. 

“My ring?” You looked at him. He had drawn your ring and a bride and groom on his notepad. A soft laugh escaped your lips. You nodded. “That’s right. Someone proposed to me”

_‘Congratulations’_ Martin wrote.

“Well, actually, I didn’t give him an answer yet” You stared down at the confused boy.

Question mark. _‘Why?’_ You didn’t know what to say to him. You can’t exactly tell him everything that has happened to you to make you think about your answer. Martin most likely knows that the person who proposed to you was Jerome, but you didn’t know that. Instead of answering him, you chugged down your glass of lemonade. Martin still looked at you, confused. He drew a heart with a question mark. _‘Do you love him?’_ That’s the question he’s asking you. 

“I care about him” You began to spurt out anything that came to mind. “I still have feelings for him. I know that much… but love…”

You moved your hands to touch your stomach. Turning to Martin, you looked even more confused than he was. Looking at the boy, you began to picture the child you’re carrying. If this was a normal situation - one where Jerome wasn’t crazy - would you be living in a beautiful neighborhood with the redhead? Or would you be living in the city? No, you remember not wanting to raise your children in the city. 

You pictured a nice house in the suburbs with a big enough yard for the children to play. They would have a playhouse in the backyard and would beg you and Jerome to get a dog or a cat, or any other pet that they desire. Jerome would be the one to spoil them and say yes. You would shake your head, but not get mad at them. Jerome would be the cook of the house while you played with the children. You pictured a nice life just the way Jerome had told you when you went to visit him. Could you even imagine having that sort of life with someone else?

“I… love him” You smiled, a single tear escaping your eye. “I love him. I can’t picture anyone else to share my life with”

Martin smiled at you, happy to know that you found your answer. You hugged him and the two of you spent the day together. When you left him, you had thanked him for helping you. He blushed when you kissed his forehead. 

Another week passed and Sofia Falcone has died. You were amazed to know that it was Lee Thompkins that shot the mafia boss. In the end, you were just happy to know that Sofia is gone and Oswald and Martin were safe. You stepped into your bedroom, taking a moment to look at yourself in your full-length mirror. You were beginning to show now.

_‘The largest single breach in the security in the troubled history of Arkham Asylum has led to a citywide curfew as many of the worst criminals who have plagued Gotham flood the streets.’ You looked at your radio. ‘Twenty-seven deaths have been attributed to the escapees. Captain James Gordon -’_

_Velaska, Tetch, and Crane have escaped_. You turned to Sage, eyes widening. Unlike the other times Jerome escaped, you aren’t afraid. No. You’re worried. You’re worried for the citizens of Gotham, for the children, the GCPD, Jerome. What exactly is Jerome planning? 

_‘Please be aware that these escapees are extremely dangerous.’_ You turned off your radio. Sage, Jade, and Shiba followed you as you made your way downstairs. Markos and everyone else was already preparing for a lockdown. The guards were taking the children to the warehouse for the night. The snakes stayed close to you the entire time. After an hour or so, you were waiting for Jerome to storm in, all alone. 

_Are you sure sending the guards away was a good idea?_ Jade hissed. You looked toward the doors. “If Jerome escaped, I want my conversation with him to be private.”

_And if he hurts you?_ Coatl questioned. You smirked. “He won’t hurt the woman who is carrying his child”


	38. Brunch Meeting

The snakes watched you pace around the club. It's been three hours since you heard about Jerome's escape from Arkham. You had sent everyone away so you can talk to Jerome in private. But he hasn't shown. That's unlike him. He would have come to see you as soon as he escaped. You're sure of that. So why hasn't he come?

The doors to your club opened, and you quickly looked to see if it was the ginger boy. You were disappointed to see two GCPD officers. They noticed how the place was empty and they were cautious of the snakes surrounding you. You sighed, "Officers. What can I do for you?"

"I'm sure you have heard about the break out in Arkham." One of the officers spoke first. "One of those escapees is Jerome Velaska. Has he made any contact with you?"

"Not at all" You moved to stand behind the bar. "The moment I heard, I had sent everyone here to a safe place."

"Do you happen to know anything that he's planning?" The other asked.

"Unfortunately, no. I don't" You shrugged your shoulders.

"Well, for protection, we'll be staying -"

"Is there really a need for that?" You turned to the first officer. "I can handle Jerome by myself. Plus, I have my snakes here"

"Still" The second officer grabbed your attention. "We don't know what he's planning and he's -"

"A dangerous maniac" You finished his sentence. The two officers looked intimidated by you. You don't blame them. The snakes were beginning to surround them. Taking a deep breath, you smiled at them. "I understand that you're only doing what's best for me, but seeing as Jerome hasn't come to see me, it could be safe to say that he isn't interested in me."

That's when it clicked. Jeremiah. You had mentioned him when you were with Jerome. You told him that you ran into his twin while you were out of Gotham. Jerome must have figured that his twin brother wasn't that far from here. But he couldn't possibly know where Jeremiah is. You didn't tell him.

"Uncle Zack," You thought out loud. _Zackery owns a diner here in Gotham_. Shiba loudly hissed. The two officers jumped at the sight of the snake's fangs. You turned to them. "Try Zack's diner. Jerome's uncle is the owner"

"Thank you for the tip" The two officers left your establishment.

_Why did you tell them?_ You heard Jade say as you went to grab your phone from your office. _I thought we're on Jerome's side now._ Sage hissed. _You idiots! This is not about their relationship anymore_. Shiba yelled at the two. They looked at her, confused. She stared at your direction, watching you dial a number on your phone. _This is now about Jeremiah's safety._

Just as your phone connected to the other line, a bullet smashed the cell phone right out of your hand. You turned to look at Jonathan Crane. He wore a scarecrow outfit. The snakes were by your side in an instant. Shiba slithered in front of you, baring her fangs at the masked man. Jade and Sage did the same. Your eyes turned a bright yellow as you whipped out your razor strings from your cuffs.

"Jonathan Crane, right?" You got into a fighting stance. "Nice to meet you. I would introduce myself but I'm sure you already know who I am. Did Jerome sent you?"

"He apologizes for not coming to see you in person but he wants you to know that he has other important matters to do" Jonathan fiddled with the machine connected to his gloves. Fear gas. "He sent me to pick you up"

"Then there's no need for the gas" You held your hands in surrender, the razor strings retracting. "I'll be going quietly"

"I know that you are, but this isn't the fear gas" He sprayed the gas around the room. Your eyes widen as you watched your snakes fall unconscious.

_No! (y/n) -_ You heard Shiba's voice before she knocked out. The gas filled your nose and you quickly covered your mouth. Jonathan walked up to you as you fell to your knees. With heavy eyes, you look to see the masked man stare down at you. Then you heard the sound of gunshots. Before your body made contact with the ground, you felt someone grab you. You heard a man's voice.

 

"-iss. Miss, wake up" You stirred awake. You were in the backseat of a car. Markos was driving you somewhere.

"Markos?" You murmured. "Where... Where are we going?"

"To Mr. Wilde, Miss" He kept his eyes on the road.

"Wilde..." You sat up, noticing Shiba sleeping beneath your feet. "You mean Jeremiah? How do you -"

"I worked for him before I started to work for the Penguin" Markos began to explain. "When I saw you with Jerome Velaska, I knew who you were in an instant. Mr. Wilde has a picture of you in his office, you see, so when you came back as Serpentine, I offered to be your driver. I was shocked to have heard that you ran into Mr. Wilde while you were gone. He never leaves his home"

"Wait. What?" You shook your head as you ran his words through your mind. "You used to work for Jeremiah, before coming to work for me, and you didn't bother to tell me?"

"It didn't seem relevant until now" Markos glanced at you through the rearview mirror. You sighed and crossed your arms. Deciding to ignore the fact your most trusted employee knows Jeremiah, you turned your attention to the sleeping snake underneath you.

"Shiba... are you hurt?" You stroked her scales, placing her on your lap. _I am fine_. She stirred. "Just sleep it off"

Just as Markos drove through an intersection, a car crashed right into the car. Thankfully, it didn't hit your side, but your head did hit the window pretty hard. The car skidded off to the side. Markos composed himself before turning to you. "Are you - agh!"

"Markos!" You yelled as you saw the man bleed from his forehead, a bullet-hole dredged right between his eyebrows. You got out of the car, wrapping Shiba around you. Standing a few feet away was Jonathan Crane. _(y/n), don't._ Shiba gave a low hiss. Without saying anything, you walked up to Crane. You didn't even make eye contact with the man as you got inside the beat-up car. He got into the passenger seat and the driver - another Arkham escapee - drove off.

 

You expected to be taken to some abandoned house somewhere in the forest, but instead, you found yourself to be standing right in front of Oswald's very own home. The escapee got out of the driver's seat and Crane got behind the wheel. The masked boy drove off, leaving you with the escapee. Without even looking at the man beside you, you set Shiba on him. The snake choked the former prisoner as she bared her teeth in his skin. You ignored the screams of the man and went inside. Oswald was waiting inside the living room for you.

He stared at you as you went to sit across from him. Letting out a deep breath, you placed your hands on your lap. Your gaze downcast and you spoke in a low tone. "What... the hell is going on, Oswald?"

"Why the hell did Jonathan Crane bring me here after shooting my most trusted employee - my friend?!" You glared at the man. "He is working with the mad man who wanted to kill you!"

"No, he's working with your fiance and your baby daddy" Oswald glared back. You pinched the bridge of your nose. "Look, I know that Jerome Velaska is a lunatic-"

"Try psychopath" You looked up at your brother.

"He told me to host brunch here tomorrow morning with some of the other villains we have here in Gotham" Oswald explained, getting up to take a seat next to you. He grabbed your hands and squeezed them tight. "I'm sorry for your lost, but I'm not liking this either. You're pregnant, (y/n). With Velaska out in the streets, it's not going to be safe for you unless you're with him"

Taking back your hands from his grasp, you stood up. Oswald watched you as you left to go upstairs to your room. Shiba hissed at him before following you. He let out a sigh. "This could be a good chance to tell him he's going to be a father!"

 

_You don't need to go down there, you know?_ Shiba hissed. You were doing your hair, looking at your reflection through the vanity mirror. Oswald had informed you that Jerome and the other guests have arrived. "I have to, Shiba. For my child's sake"

Walking down the steps, you began to take deep breaths as you prepared to meet Jerome again. You heard the familiar laughter of the ginger scarred man. The gazes of everyone in the room turned to you. You felt your heart skip a beat as you stared at Jerome. His green eyes looked at you like a hungry tiger looking at his prey.

"My, my, my" Jerome stood up, smirking. He grabbed your left hand, kissing your knuckles - specifically, your ring. The two of you never once broke eye contact. "Hello, doll"

"Hey, J" You gave him a small smile. He pulled you close, wrapping his arms around you. You looked at Oswald and the others. There was Crane, Pike, Fries, and Tetch. The moment your eyes landed on Crane, you thought about Markos. You wanted to kill the masked boy right there, but you held yourself back. You turned back to Jerome. "Let's talk in private"

Jerome grinned as you led him up to your room. The moment your door shut close, the redheaded boy jumped to lay on your bed. _Why did you bring him here?_ Shiba shouted at you. You shushed her and she slithered to your bathroom.

"So, doll, are you going to finally give me my answer?" Jerome sat up, grinning. You went to sit down on his lap. Your right hand played with his hair as your other hand stroked his chest.

"I have an answer but it might change depending on what you're going to do with Jeremiah" You watch his grin fall. "I know you're planning to find him, J. Why?"

"Why?" Jerome glared at you. "He is the reason my mother began to beat me! He is the one who ruined my life, (y/n). He turned everyone against me. You know that!"

"He didn't do anything, J" You stood up. "And he didn't turn me against you. I was the only one to stay by your side - even if I didn't know how bad your situation was, I was still by your side. I was the one to love you. You don't need to get revenge because you have me"

You kissed Jerome, your hands caressing his face. "Please, J. Let him be and let's just... let's just be together, please. J, I'm-"

"Oh, (y/n)" Jerome stroked a strand of your hair behind your ear. He kissed your cheek, your foreheads touching. "We could do that after I turn this whole city mad"

"J-"

"Now, if you excuse me, I got a brother to find" Jerome pushed away from you and made his way back downstairs. "It won't take long"

A deep sigh escaped your lips as you watched Jerome leave from your sight. Stroking your womb, you bit your bottom lip. You didn't even get to tell him about the baby yet.

 

_What are we going to do about Jeremiah?_ Jade asked. It's been two hours since the brunch meeting with Jerome. You're at your club to sort out some of Markos' work. The children and workers were devastated to know of the man's death, but now you have to deal with the consequences of telling his family. That is to say if the GCPD didn't do it first.

"I don't know, Jade" You fell onto your chair. "I tried calling him but he's not picking up. I don't even know where he lives. JJ only told me that he goes by Xander Wilde, got adopted, and became an engineer. He said that he built the Wayne -"

_The Wayne what?_ Sage slithered toward you.

"Bruce" You got up, grabbing your coat, and leaving the club. _Wait!_ Shiba called for you but you had already gone out the door. _I swear this girl is going to be the death of me._


	39. His Twin

You stormed into Wayne Manor, not taking the time to look around. You already know your way to the study where Bruce spends his entire day in. You need to hurry. Jerome could possibly have Jeremiah already. You know in your heart that you love Jerome, but Jeremiah is one of your closest friends. Seeing him again gave you the same sort of comfort you felt around him when he was still at the circus. He was the one that you told your secrets to. The moment you walked into the room, you sighed in relief to see James Gordon and Harvey Bullock already there. The officers, Bruce, and Alfred turned to you. “Oh, thank god”

“(y/n)?” Bruce’s brows furrowed.

“Tell me you know where to find him” You looked at the four of them.

“You’re talking about Xander Wilde?” James Gordon looked at you, confused. “How do you know him?”

“He’s… a close friend” You lied. Why are you lying? Well, you're exactly lying but why don’t you tell him that he’s Jerome’s twin brother? Why protect Jerome’s secret? They're going to find out one way or another. “Jerome is after him right now, please take me with you”

“Do you know anything -”

“Jim” Harvey patted his partner’s shoulder, gesturing at your stomach. “Look”

The four males looked at your stomach. Usually, you would wear a size over your own since you started to show - but this time you didn’t. You had put on a maternity shirt for your size because you had planned on telling/showing Jerome your bump. But of course, the ginger boy didn’t notice. Then again, no one could tell that your almost two months pregnant unless they take a closer look at you.

“You’re pregnant?” Alfred spoke first.

“Is it… Jerome’s?” Bruce hesitated to say the ginger’s name.

“Yes, but that doesn’t matter right now” You glared at them. “Jerem - Xander Wilde is in danger! We have to go save him from Jerome!”

“She’s right” Jim nodded at his partner. “Let’s get going before Jerome gets to him”

“Thank you” You began to follow the two officers, but Harvey stopped you.

“No can do, young lady” He pointed at your womb. “You got a baby in your stomach and that means you can’t go around beating the crap out of people for the next few months”

“But I -”

“It’s okay, (y/n). We’ll make sure that your friend will be safe” Jim reassured you. You sighed and let the two officers go. Bruce and Alfred walked up to you.

The butler offered you some tea and lunch. You smiled and thanked him for the food. As you ate, you began to wonder if Jeremiah was alright. What is Jerome planning to do with him? Kill him? No. He wouldn’t do that. He’ll want to make his brother suffer. He'll want Jeremiah to join him. A family of that cause chaos all around Gotham. That is what Jerome wants. He would want that out of your children as well. 

“So… how far along are you?” You looked up at Bruce and Alfred. The two were sitting across from you in the kitchen. You placed the cup of tea down. 

“Seven weeks” You smiled. “I haven’t told him yet”

Bruce glanced at his butler. This was the first time he ever knew someone close to him that’s pregnant. He doesn’t know what to say. Congratulations would be a bit weird seeing that you're pregnant with Jerome's child. Jerome tried to kill him more than once. How could anyone sleep with him? That was when he noticed the ring on your left hand. “Did he propose to you too?”

You glanced down at the emerald gem, a soft laugh escaping your breath. “Yeah, he did, but again, I haven’t given him an answer yet”

Again, Bruce looked at Alfred. It is a sensitive topic. Jerome is a maniac killer that has caused chaos all around the city, and you… You were once a regular girl turned mutant, adoptive sister to the Penguin, and boss of the east side of the Narrows. You’re Serpentine, the queen of the snakes, and princess of Gotham. You may kill people from then and there, but you have a code. Jerome does not. Everyone in Gotham may know of your past relationship with Jerome but no one knows what you see in him. 

\----

“I love him, you know” You broke the awkward silence between the three of you. They looked a bit surprised to hear you say it out loud. Their reaction made you laugh. “Even if he’s crazy and a serial killer, I just… I don’t know… I just can’t help but still love him. He may be a psychopath but to me… to me, he’s still that goofy boy I met at the circus. The boy that I patched up after his mother and uncle beat him. The boy that comforted me from a nightmare and perverts. The one that I fell in love with. I know it’s crazy - believe me, I think I deserve to be locked up in Arkham for this - but that’s how I feel”

“Well… congratulations” Alfred smiled at you. “I hope your child will grow up healthy and be nothing like their father”

You snorted out a laugh. “Believe me, I want that too”

“I guess this explains why (y/n) was worried” Jim commented. They’re on their way back to the GCPD now. Jeremiah sat in the backseat of the car in silence. Jerome and his two new goons had cornered him in his own home. All he could think of was his maniac twin brother and his plans to ruin his life. Jeremiah had him. He was confident in that. But he didn't take into account that Jerome was a mastermind in his own way. 

“(y/n)?” The glasses-wearing man looked at the two officers. “You know (y/n)?”

“Yeah. She had wanted to come with us but we told her no because of the baby” Harvey waved his hand as he was swatting at a fly.

“Baby? What baby?” Jeremiah’s brows furrowed in confusion.

“She didn’t tell you?” Jim looked at him from the rearview mirror. “She’s pregnant with your brother’s child”

Jeremiah’s eyes widen in shock. He fell back into his seat. The voices of the officers were tuned out as he tried to swallow in the news. You’re pregnant. With Jerome’s child. For how long? He knows that you love him, and he can’t blame you for that, but he didn’t expect this. Was the sex consensual? Or did his brother force himself on you? To be honest, hearing that you’re pregnant is more terrifying than knowing his brother is out there trying to kill him.

\-----

It was night by the time you got back to Oswald’s house. After your small visit to Wayne Manor, you went back to your club. Markos’ family was there and you spent the day comforting them. After that, you brought Jade, Sage, and Shiba back with you. 

You walked into the living room to see something disturbing. Everyone was standing around a random guy you never met. The man was laughing hysterically, blood coming out of his eyes like tears. You glanced at Oswald, who was standing next to who you remember the snakes telling you was Grundy. The two looked uncomfortable and confused as to what was going on. Jerome was laughing along with the man. _I think that the future the cards warned you about is about to happen_. Shiba stared at you. You huffed, “I should have figured” 

“Doll!” Jerome noticed your presence. He walked up to you and placed a quick kiss on your lips. “Just look at this magnificent gift Crane created for me. This is going to help me a whole lot”

“J, we really need to talk” You whispered to him. “It’s important”

“Not now, my love” He placed a finger up to stop you from talking. “I have other matters to attend to do”

“Jerome, seriously” You begged. 

“Maybe later” Jerome shrugged. He kissed your forehead before leaving with Crane and Tetch. “I got to have these plans set for the big day. Gotham ain’t going to turn mad itself you know”

Oswald and Grundy walked up to you. You placed your head on your adoptive brother’s shoulder for comfort. “I don’t know what I’m going to do, Ozzie”

“You mean you haven’t told him yet?” Oswald looked at you.

“Told him what?” Grundy glanced at the short man.

“I’m pregnant” You whispered to the big grey man. “And it’s his child”

“Why would you want to sleep with him after what he did to you?” Grundy whispered back. You sighed and crossed your arms.

“That doesn’t concern you” You glared. “What matters is that I have yet to tell him. Hell, I haven’t even said yes to his proposal”

“He asked you to marry him?” Grundy’s eyes widen.

“Get with the program” Oswald turned to the man before glancing back at you. “You’re seriously going to marry that guy (y/n)? Did you even think this all through?”

“I have” You defended. “And I can’t picture a life without him, Ozzie. Jerome and I have so much history, so much chemistry. I can’t just throw that all away. I love him. I want to marry him. Psychotic or not”

Oswald and Grundy looked at each other. They were thinking about the same thing. You didn’t even need to hear what they were going to say. You already knew. Waving them off, you made your way toward your room. The snakes followed you. 

Another week passed. You’re officially two months pregnant now and still haven’t told Jerome about it. He kept himself busy with his plans. You noticed that he never told anyone what his actual plan is, only that he gives them orders. That is everyone but you. You know Jerome like the back of your hand by now. You know his very thoughts. You know what he’s planning without him even having to tell you. But you don’t tell anyone that. You act clueless whenever Oswald or Jim asks you about the redhead. 

“I’m going out,” You said, grabbing your bag. Shiba was wrapped around your neck while Jade and Sage made themselves comfortable in the large pockets of your coat. 

“Where are you going?” Oswald walked toward you.

“To the music festival” You turned to him. “I gotta stretch my legs”

“You’re pregnant, (y/n)” The man sighed. “You should be in bed”

“I’m two months pregnant, not nine” You corrected. “I’ll be fine. I’ll only be there for a bit before heading off to my check-up at the hospital. If Jerome needs me, he’ll call me but I highly doubt it”


	40. I Love You

Gotham’s Music Festival was something you needed. It was your time to take a break from Jerome and his lunatics. You were simply there to listen to music and enjoy the moment before your doctor's appointment. That was until you noticed a familiar man make his way on stage while a band was performing. _Great. The clown is here_. Sage hissed.

Jerome danced on stage a bit before being noticed by the singer. You watched as Jerome turned around, revealing himself to everyone, and kick the singer. He then grabbed the mic and began to beat the singer on the head with it until he died. Everyone freaked out while you just stood there, unimpressed. The one day you wanted to relax and get out of the house.

“Where’s everyone going?” You heard Jerome shout at the crew. Firefly jumped out from backstage and used her torch. The audience knelt for cover. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are the Arkham Asylum Lunatics. We came here to blow some minds! Whoo!”

Everyone began to stand up now. “Sorry to interrupt your little show,” Jerome continued, “but you are gonna love this next one.”

Jerome’s goons came out, dragging four people and tying them to chairs. They had some sort of neck brace on with wires attached to something. You continued to stare at Jerome as he continued with his speech. 

“Introducing Mayor Pritchard, Commissioner Reynolds, Archbishop McGregor, and this lady - whoever she is” Jerome gestured at his hostages. “This is everybody. Everybody, say hi. Now, as you can see, we’re still waiting for two guests of honor. But in the meantime, let’s go over the rules of tonight’s entertainment, shall we?”

He lifted his right arm, showing a trigger that’s connected to the neck braces that the hostages are wearing. “Dynamite. Trigger. I don’t get what I want? Boom. Headless people. And if any of you are thinking of going anywhere, you’ll die, too”

Firefly demonstrated her torch once more.

“Now, the one man who can give me what I want. Come over here.” Jerome dragged the cameraman close to him. “Calling Gordon. Calling James Gordon”

“Jerome!” You called to him. The ginger boy looked at the audience, trying to find you. Once he spotted you, he grinned even more. You made your way on stage. People made way for you as you passed them. They whispered your name like if you were a savior.

“Well this looks familiar” Jerome laughed. “Are you going to try to talk me out of kill these people like you did that night I died?”

“I’m not going to ask for something that I know is impossible” You shook your head, earning a laugh from Jerome. He swung his arm around your shoulders. 

“You see that, everybody. My lovely doll already knows when to give up and just accept things the way they are” Jerome kissed your cheek. 

“I’m not saying that I accept this” You pushed him away. 

“Then what are you going to do?” Jerome leaned close to you, pulling you back into his arms.

“I’m asking you to think this through. Are you seriously going to murder these people, knowing that you might lose me in the end?” Your (e/c) colored eyes pleaded. 

“I won’t lose you” Jerome chuckled. “You’ll always come back to me”

You didn’t say anything at that point. Jerome kissed your cheek one more time before going off to mess around on stage. _Are you going to tell him?_ Jade hissed. You continued to stare at the red-haired maniac. Now is not the time. You have to distract him so he doesn't kill these people. Jerome laughed while he watched his goons torture the band. His green eyes met yours. You walked toward him, feeling his arm snake around your waist. He placed a soft kiss on your jaw. You tried looking into his eyes for any sign of that boy you met in the circus. But to no one's surprise, there was none. After an hour or two, the GCPD made their way through the crowd, the arrival of Jim Gordon grabbed everyone’s attention. Jerome stopped and turned to the captain of the GCPD. _It is useless to try to talk to him_. Shiba snapped. “Ladies and gentlemen, as I live and breathe, James Gordon is in the house” Jerome spoke into the microphone. 

“I’m not talking until I can get up there and check on the well-being of your hostages!” The detective shouted from where he stood in the crowd.

“First of all, Jim, you’re late” Jerome noted. “Secondly, I think I’m the one who should be making demands, don’t you?”

“What you’re doing is an act of terror, Velaska” Gordon commented. “Ask our mayor what this city’s policy is on negotiating with terrorists.”

“Terrorist?” Jerome looked at the mayor then at you. “Frankly, I’m offended.”

The detective took a step closer, grabbing Jerome’s attention. “No, no, no! That’s close enough, Gordon. And none of you go anywhere, either. Dead man’s trigger. This falls out of my hand for any reason and bang!” Jerome tapped the trigger on the mic. He then gestured at the empty seats behind him. “I got two empty chairs here. You haven’t even asked me who they’re for yet”

“All right, I’ll bite” Gordon shrugged. “Who are they for?”

“Come on, James. You’re a detective. Do some detecting” Jerome mocked.

“Jeremiah, your brother” You looked down the moment Jim Gordon said your friend’s name. Damn it. You knew that Jerome's plan included the murder of his brother, but a public execution? Actually, no. That sounds like something Jerome would do.

“Bingo” Jerome smirked. “That’s one”

“And the other?” Gordon asked.

“Well, the only other irksome do-gooder who’s ever spoiled my fun in this town”. Jerome spoke in a tone as if to say that the answer was obvious. And it was. To you, at least. “Bruce Wayne!”

“No.”

“No?” Jerome looked at the detective, confused.

“You can take me.” Gordon offered. “I’ll sit up there with one of those things around my neck, but I won’t let you have him”

“Well, I don’t want you, Jim” Jerome leaned down, still speaking into the mic. “I want my brother and I want Bruce. I want them now.”

“All right. Let me get these people out of here, I’ll come up there -”

“You are not listening to me!” Jerome shouted. You went up to him, placing your hand on his shoulder as a sign of comfort. He continued to glare at the detective. “And that is forcing my hand”

“Jerome -”

“No!” The redhead shouted again. You pulled him back a little. “Bring me, my brother. Bring me, Wayne. Bring ‘em now.”

You watch Gordon hesitate to leave the scene. When he did, you pulled Jerome back and made him look at you. You stroked the scars on his face before placing a chaste kiss on his lips. He placed his hands on your hips. As the kiss deepens, you slowly moved your hand to grab the trigger. He smirked and pulled you closer to him, biting your lip. It took you by surprise and you pulled away, abandoning the chance of getting the trigger. Your foreheads touch and your eyes searched his.

“Calm down” You spoke in a soft tone. “Just for a bit. For me. Please?”

“You do have a way with me, don’t you?” Jerome’s tone of voice matched yours, a small smirk playing on his lips. You couldn't help but smile at him. He kissed your forehead and the two of you waited around. 

You did your best not to focus on the crowd. They were looking at you as if you were their savior- and you just might be. You’re the only one who can control Jerome’s madness right now. If you looked into the crowd, saw their desperate faces, you would cry and run away. Why did things have to end up this way?

Half an hour passed and Jerome was getting restless. You sensed it and gave him a shoulder massage. He groaned at the feeling. His green eyes looked up at you as he pulled you down to his lap. Your arms wrapped around him as the two of you kissed. But even that wasn’t enough to distract him. He brought the cameraman closer to him once more.

“Don’t you know it’s rude to keep a guy waiting? Bring me my hostages, James.” Jerome spoke into the mic. “My trigger finger is getting itchy. You know what? I don’t think you’re taking me seriously enough. Well all right. Let’s see. Eeny meeny miny moe, one of these people have to go.”

A blast happened behind you, causing you to jump. Looking back, you saw the archbishop's headless body. Jerome laughed. “Oh, it’s that guy. Oh well”

Another half an hour passed. Jerome was now messing around with the band that stood behind you. He picked up the guitar and started to play. Unlike before, when the two of you were in the circus, Jerome’s playing was terrible. You guessed that he was doing it on purpose. He stopped when he saw Jim Gordon bring Bruce Wayne and Jeremiah. 

“Look who decided to show up.” Jerome spoke into the mic. “We were starting to get nervous. Especially, the mayor here. My guests of honor, please take your seats onstage. Come on. Don’t be shy. It’s all right. We don’t have all day”

Bruce and Jeremiah began to make their way onstage. The billionaire boy was glaring harshly at Jerome, while Jeremiah was still hesitant on walking toward his twin brother. Jerome smirked when he got a good view of Jeremiah. “Hi, brother”

Gunshots. You looked up to see snipers getting shot. The GCPD and the crowd looked just as confused as you are. 

“I had my guys take up the best vantage points last night” You turned to Jerome. He was still staring at Gordon and the rest of the officers. “So they’ve been watching your little SWAT team all day.”

“Now, Bruce, brother dear” Jerome glanced back at his guests of honor. “Get up on stage. It’s time to get this party really started, huh?”

Jeremiah stared at you as his brother’s goons tied him and Bruce to their chairs. You couldn’t even look him in the eye. You felt ashamed. Glancing at Jerome, you began to rethink your decisions. Would Jerome even change if you told him about the child? No. He wouldn’t. He’ll still be the lunatic he is. There’s no changing that. 

“No parent will admit it, but everyone’s got their favorites” Jerome took a seat between Bruce and Jeremiah. “Right, brother? The one who cleans their room, does their homework, doesn’t try to kill everybody. Little Mr. Perfect here. Yeah. He was that guy.”

“He got adopted by rick folks” He leaned toward Bruce. “Went to the top schools, then a top college. Meanwhile, I got dragged through the circus by my depressed alcoholic mother. Forced to clean up elephant dung every day. Do you know how big those things are, folks?”

You patted Jerome’s shoulder. It’s like a signal that told him not to get off-topic. He smiled at you, grabbing your left hand. He stared at the ring he gave you. “Thankfully, I had my beautiful doll with me throughout all that” He smiled at you. "She stuck with me through all the beatings, helped me when I was suffering. She is the only light I have in this world" "And I'll do it all again" You whispered, stroking Jerome's jaw before placing a kiss on his red hair. Jeremiah watched the scene. He felt his heartbreak just a little. There’s no point in focusing on something that will never be right now. He has more important problems.

“But I know something that mommy and daddy, they never knew” Jerome turned back to look at his brother, leaning in. “You’re as crazy as I am. It’s in your DNA” He stood up and pulled out a pocket knife. He cut one of Jeremiah’s restraints. “See, we got the same blood running through us. We are practically identical. You are a killer. It’s your nature. Stop trying to fight it.”

Jerome cut off Jeremiah’s last restraint, handing his brother the knife. “Take your best shot”

Jeremiah looked at you. He thought about everything Jerome has done to him. How he would bully him when they were children. How he killed their mother. How he got to have the girl - have you, when Jerome knew that Jeremiah himself liked you more than he could ever have. With those emotions, Jeremiah lunged at his brother. Jerome laughed as he punched him.

“JJ!” You cried as Jerome continued to beat up his brother. 

“That was so good!” Jerome mocked, kicking his brother. “I love you!”

“Hey, look up in the sky!”

“Holy crap”

You looked up to see a blimp coming your way. Everyone began to panic. That was when the chaos began. The GCPD was guiding the audience away. Gunshots were fired. Your eyes widen as you saw Jerome get shot. “Jerome!”

Before you could rush to him, you were grabbed by one of the ginger’s goons. You elbowed him, kicking him in the gut, then punched him square in the jaw. He fell to the ground and just as you turned to find Jerome, he was already gone. You looked back down to Jeremiah. “JJ!”

You ran to the injured twin. The snakes quickly dispersed to fight Jerome’s goons and guard you. You pushed Jeremiah up so you can get a better look at him. Luckily, he was just bruised. “Hey, JJ, are you okay?”

“(y/n)?” Jeremiah looked up at you. “Where’s Jerome?”

“He ran off” You looked up, searching for the scarred man. Turning back to the boy in front of you, you smiled. “I’m going to look for him, okay. I’ll be back-”

“You can’t” Jeremiah held your wrist. His green eyes met your (e/c) orbs. “You’re pregnant. It’s dangerous for the baby”

You didn’t have the time to ask him how he knew of your pregnancy. You just continued to smile at him. Him stopping you from chasing Jerome reminded you of the time when you would play with him only to run off with Jerome. You kissed his forehead and pulled your wrist from his grasp. “I’ll be fine, JJ. He won't hurt me”

Before he could stop you, you were already running through the crowd to find his twin. He felt defeated. Of course, you would still go after Jerome. He’s the love of your life. How could you not? But why can’t you just leave Jerome for the lunatic he is and see how much he loves you instead? Why does it have to be his psychotic brother?

You ran through the nearby streets, glancing every way to catch a glimpse of the man you have come to love so much. Jade and Sage slithered ahead of you while Shiba stayed close to you. _Found him!_ You heard the black mambas call you. You followed their voice into an alleyway. Just as you looked up, your eyes widen and a piercing scream escaped your lips. “JEROME!”

You ran to the laughing redhead just as he fell on top of a car. The snakes stayed on the ground, watching you as you got up on the car. Tears fell down your cheeks as you held Jerome’s bloody body close to you. 

“Jerome, please, talk to me” You cried, stroking his hair and his chest. Your hands moved to his wounds, trying to stop the bleeding only to get stained by his blood. You began to rock back and forth as you held his dying body close to you. You pulled his head to your ear so you can hear his breathing. It was faint but still there.

“At least… I gave you that ring…” Jerome whispered, still smiling. You watched the life in his eyes vanish. He took his last breath and you yelled out a cry. 

“Please, Jerome. Stay with me. Don’t leave me, J…” You choked on a sob. “I didn’t even get to tell you my answer. I was going to say yes. I want to marry you, J. I want to - I want to profess my love for you in front of everybody. I don't care what others will think. I want… I want the baby I’m having to meet their father. So please, J… please don’t go. Stay with me. Stay with our baby. They’re going to need their father… Please”

No response.

You wailed out a loud cry, drawing attention to you. A small crowd began to surround you. Hugging his body close to you, you continued to cry. You began to place kisses all over his face. “I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you so much, Jerome. I love you. Please come back to me”

“Get back! GCPD” You heard Jim Gordon’s voice. The crowd began to leave you. “Everybody get back”

You continued to cry while holding Jerome’s body. Slowly, you looked up to see Jim Gordon, Harvey Bullock, Bruce, and Jeremiah. Your eyes turned red and puffy from all the crying. Your tears became hot with anger as you stared at the detective. The four of them stared at you. You could tell that they were confused as to what to say to you.

“You shot him. You killed him!” You yelled at him, pulling out Jerome’s knife from his inside pocket. You pointed it at Gordon. “You shot and killed him. You killed Jerome… my Jerome…”

“(y/n), let go of the knife.” Gordon took a step closer to you.

“No!” You shook your head. “No, no, no. You don’t get to say anything. Just please… leave us… leave us alone”

You dropped the knife as you continued to cry. The sound of more GCPD officers and ambulance surrounded you. You ignored them while dirtying yourself in Jerome’s blood. _(y/n)... they’re going to need to take the body_. Jade spoke in a soft tone. _You have to let him go_. Sage lowly hissed. _It’s time to go_.

“No. I’m not leaving him” You said just as the medics came to you. Your eyes shone yellow as you glared at them.

_(y/n)._ Shiba spoke. You stared at the snake. Her hazel eyes stared into yours. Without saying a word, you let go of Jerome’s body. The medics took him off of you. Shiba nodded her head and made her way toward you. She wrapped her body around you as you cried. It felt like your heart was just broken into pieces, never to be fixed ever again. You felt an immense amount of pain in your chest. It was more painful than the feeling of being shot or stabbed. It’s the pain of a broken heart. 

Jerome is gone, never to come back again. The pain you feel feels worse than the time he first died. You know that there’s no chance of Jerome coming back. There’s no chance of you marrying him. There’s no chance of Jerome ever knowing or raising your child with you. Jerome is dead. 

He may be a psychotic killer. He may be the person who killed your mentor. The person who killed your friends. The person who tried to kill your other friends and innocent citizens of Gotham. But to you… to you, he was the love of your life. Your soulmate. 

You don’t believe that Jerome was born evil. You believe that the way he was raised turned him into this monster. Just like how you have your inner darkness, Jerome had his. You keep that side of yours hidden. Jerome kept it a secret from you, but not from anyone else. But you knew there was something more to him and you didn’t care. You love him regardless.

And now you would never see him again.

You won’t get to say ‘I love you’ to him. You won’t get to hear him say those words back to you. You won’t get to hear him laugh. You would no longer feel his warm hands against your skin. You would no longer get to hear him call you ‘Doll’ or any other nickname he had for you. 

People watched as you cried while holding Shiba. Your cries broke their hearts. Even if you’re crying for the death of the psychotic man that just tried to kill them all, they felt pity. No one has never seen you cry before. It was like seeing a baby wail for their mother. It was painful to watch. It was painful to listen to.

_There's nothing you could do or say_  
_I can't escape the way, I love you  
_I don't want to, but I love you__


	41. Broken Heart

Jerome’s death took a big toll on you. You would only eat small portions of the food you crave - sometimes you wouldn’t eat at all. You couldn’t sleep because you would have nightmares or dreams about Jerome. You would wake up crying and screaming in the middle of the night. You rarely would speak and no longer went outside. You had your new second in command run Serpentine’s while you mourned the death of Jerome. 

Everyone showed how worried they were for you. They would ask if you are okay or if you’ve been anywhere outside of your bedroom. They would ask if you’re eating and taking care of yourself for the baby’s sake. 

The news of your pregnancy came out the same night Jerome died. Reporters stormed into your club to see if they can interview you, but the guards would send them away before they could go upstairs to your room. You were in no condition to be seeing anyone but your friends, the snakes, and your doctor. If anyone wanted to see you, it will take hours for you to approve.

There is one friend of yours that you don’t wish to see, though. James Gordon. 

You know that what he did must have been out of self-defense. You know that he must have tried to save him from falling. But you also know that Gordon was aiming to shoot Jerome either way. He had ordered the SWAT team to shoot Jerome. They would have too if it weren’t for Jerome’s goons shooting at them. Even if you know all that, you still don’t want to see him. You just can’t face him right now.

Your once brightly lit room has become dark and gloomy. Flowers and newborn baby gifts were sent to you as congratulations for the child you are carrying. They filled your room but you didn’t acknowledge them. The flowers wilted and died, only to be replaced by new ones by your guards. The snakes took turns to watch over you, making sure you eat at least three meals a day. Shiba never once left your side. 

You sat on a chair beside your window, looking outside as you caressed your baby bump. The color of your face was beginning to turn pale as the days passed by. A tray of food was placed on the table beside you. It contained peanut butter ice cream and chocolate cookies - snacks that you’ve been craving. You had barely touched it when one of the children you look after brought it to you.

Your (h/c) colored hair became messy as you didn’t bother to brush it. Dark circles formed under your (e/c) orbs from the sleepless nights you had. You would spend your days in your pajamas or sweats and just look outside your window. The snakes would slither around in silence. Shiba placed herself on your lap. 

_You have to eat, (y/n)_. Shiba hissed. _For the baby_.

You closed your eyes as you felt a small movement. Memories of Jerome came to you once more. He would be smiling at you as you practice your routine for the circus. He would hug you from behind and lift you around, laughing at your reaction. He would wrap his arms around you tightly while sleeping. You would hum a song as you stroked his hair. It was memories like those that hurt you the most.

But what was more painful than that was picturing a life with him and your child. 

Jerome would swing your child around as they played. He would tell them funny stories and jokes. He would wake up when the baby is crying in the middle of the night so you can sleep. The two of you would sing your child a lullaby as you tuck them into bed. He would kiss both of your foreheads when he comes home. You would smile when he would tell your child stories about both of you when you were children. 

Those thoughts would cloud your mind and you wished that Jerome was still alive. You wished that he was still here to see you give birth to his child. You wished he was here to love both of you. It no longer mattered to you if he was a killer. You didn’t care if he taught your child all the ways to mutilate a human. You didn’t care if he came home covered in someone else’s blood. None of that mattered to you anymore. You just want Jerome back.

The door to your bedroom opened. You didn’t bother to look at who entered, nor did you care. The snakes hissed at the person who entered. _It’s Oswald_. They informed you.

“(y/n)” You didn’t turn to him. You continued to look out the window. “You have to get out of this place. Go outside. Do something! Stop moping around for god’s sake.”

You didn’t respond to him. You heard him let out a sigh. “If not for you, do it for your child at least. I’m pretty sure this attitude isn’t helping your baby.”

“It’s not” Your voice came out like a rash. “Don’t worry though. My snakes are looking after me”

“Though that seems like a nice therapy, why don’t I get you a human therapist?” He suggested, happy to hear you talk. “Someone you can actually talk to and -”

“They won’t understand” You finally turned to him. “They would tell me that I’m crazy for loving Jerome, for wanting his child. They would most likely want me to be sent to Arkham”

“You don’t know that” Oswald stood in front of you now, kneeling down. He took your hands in his. “I’ll get you the best therapist money can buy and if they think that I’ll just torture him or kill him for even suggesting it”

“Why do you even care, Oswald?” You retracted your hands, glaring at the man. “It’s not like you to care this much about someone. Are you planning something? Do you need me for some scheme of yours?”

“No, of course not” He stood up. “I’m just worried about you”

“Well don’t be” You turned back to look outside. “Just go and claim Gotham’s underworld like you were planning to do when you sided with Jerome”

Oswald didn’t say anything after that. You could tell that you most likely hurt his feelings. He stormed out of your room, slamming the door shut. You felt bad for saying that. You know that Oswald cares about you but you just want to be left alone right now. You made a mental note to apologize to him later.

\----

Another day passed. Just like every other day, you remained seated by your window. Oswald’s suggestion of seeing a therapist came to your mind. Maybe you don’t need a therapist. You just need someone to talk to. Someone that knows the pain you’re feeling. Someone that was close to Jerome like you were - well, close would be a strong word to describe it. You needed to talk to Jeremiah.

Finishing your lunch, the snakes watched you as you made an effort to get out of your depressed state. You changed into some of your maternity clothes and finally brushed your hair. You grabbed your large coat, slipping Jade and Sage into the large pockets. Shiba wrapped herself around your shoulders as you grabbed your bag.

Everyone down at the club stared at you as you came down. They whispered about how this is the first time you’ve been out since Jerome’s death. You walked toward your new second in command, a woman by the name of Sherry. If you remember correctly, she’s Markos’ beloved oldest niece. 

“I’ll be going out” You coughed out. “Take care of things while I’m gone”

“Yes, madam” She handed you the keys to the car. Since her uncle died, you no longer wanted a chauffeur. You had decided to drive yourself around Gotham. She stared at you with wide eyes as you left the building.

\----

You walked into the GCPD, earning stares from the officers and criminals that stood inside. You didn’t bother to look at anyone as you made your way to the captain’s office. Harvey Bullock was inside, talking to his partner/friend when you knocked. “Come in”

They stopped talking once they saw you. They shared an awkward glance at each other before looking back at you. You watched the captain of the GCPD close a case file. You took a deep breath as you stared at him.

“Detectives” You greeted.

“(y/n)” Gordon offered you to take a seat. “Glad to see you’re out and about now. Is there something you need?”

“Jeremiah’s address” You went straight to the point. 

“Jeremiah? What for?” Harvey glanced at his captain.

“I just… want to talk to him” You glanced down to your lap. “I figured he could… help me. He is my friend and Jerome’s brother. I just want to pay him a visit”

“Well, I’m sure he’ll be glad to see you as well” Gordon smiled at you. He wrote down Jeremiah’s address on a notepad, tearing the paper and handing it to you.

“Thank you, Captain” You smiled at him.

“Just make sure you’re taking care of yourself” He nodded his head at you. You gave him a small smile as you left his office.

\----

Jeremiah had told you that he made an underground bunker in the outskirts of Gotham, just in case Jerome ever looked for him, you just didn’t expect it to be close to St. Rais as well. If you continued driving for about four hours, you would have reached the orphanage you spent some of your childhood years in.

The moment you got to the door, you hesitated. Would you even be able to talk to him? He’s Jerome’s twin. He looks exactly like his brother just with glasses - and without the scars. What happens if you break down crying in front of him? What if he doesn’t want to see you? No. Jeremiah wouldn’t deny your visit. He cares about you too deeply to hate you. 

_It’ll be okay, (y/n)_. Shiba nuzzled her head against your cheek. _We’re right here by your side_.

You smiled at her. Taking in a deep breath, you began to reach out to press the buzzer on the intercom. But before you could, the door opened. Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion and you stared up at the security camera. It was blinking red light, signaling to you that it’s on. Jeremiah must have seen you already. 

“Jeremiah?” You pushed opened the door a bit more, taking a step inside. Looking around, you began to find your way to the ginger twin. 

_This place is a mess_. Sage hissed. There were blueprints scattered around the halls you walked through. _And confusing_. Jade commented. _Jeremiah did love his mazes_. Shiba nodded her head. Your eyes shone yellow. You began to look for Jeremiah or his proxy’s heat signature.

“This way” You turned left. 

After a few minutes of turning left and right, you found Jeremiah’s office. The door was opened wide. More blueprints were scattered around, broken pieces of models he was building covered the floor a bit. _This is unlike Jeremiah. He’s usually neat with his workspace_. Shiba looked over your shoulder.

“JJ? Are you here?” You looked around the small room, pausing once you saw a creepy looking Jack-in-the-box. “Shit”

A familiar psychotic laughter could be heard behind you. The door closed, locking you in. You turned around to see Jeremiah. His skin had turned white, green eyes shining brighter, and his lips had turned a brighter color of pink. He was crying while laughing hysterically. You took a step back as he took a step closer to you. “Hahahahaha - (y/n) - hahahaha - Help - ahahahah -Me”


End file.
